Alice in Candyland
by Dysphasia
Summary: Choked by the hands of their keeper, buried under years of regret and despair and finally forced to the surface after decades trying to suppress them. The ghosts of your past will always come back to haunt you. 5 students will take place in a Study Program, and secrets will be revealed on both sides. Let's hope no one discovers the room that Wonka has tried so desperately to hide.
1. Chapter 1: The Invitation

**Chapter 1**

**Invitation**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warning: Language**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. However, Willy Wonka owns me.**

**Theme song for chapter: "American Beauty" By Thomas Newman**

* * *

Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. Everyone can do it, simple. Babies can do it the minute they're brought into the world, so why couldn't I?

It may have had something to do with the piece of paper I clutched at tightly, fingers digging into its surface.

For the fourth time, my eyes pored over each of the precious words etched onto the piece of paper that smelt vaguely of candy.

_To Miss Alice Hatts,_

_Greetings to you!_

_You and 5 other lucky winners have been invited to work and stay at my factory for 2 whole months, as part of the Study Program you applied for._

_The two month period will begin on the 1st of November until the 1st of January._

_You and the other guests will be given the initial tour around the factory to acquaint you with the premises, before starting work on the 2nd. _

_As for travel, you will be picked up from your house on the 28th of October at 10:00am sharp, and then taken to the Airport to fly to London._ _All expenses will be paid for. From there, the driver will take you to the hotel that has been booked for you for the night. You will be picked up at precisely 8:00am to be taken to my Factory._

_I hope all will go as planned and look forward to meeting you and the others in person. _

_If, for any reason, you are unable to attend, please contact me as soon as possible. _

_Yours sincerely,_

_Willy Wonka._

I breathed out. Finally. My cheeks were flushed, but I wasn't sure if it was because of how long I'd held my breath or because of the letter I had just received.

I'd been invited to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Holy crap. It was too surreal, there was no way this could actually be happening. I'd actually been invited to the single largest, most famous, _legendary_ factory in the entire world. A lot of that fame was due to the mystery that surrounded the factory like a dense fog. 15 years and only eleven people had seen the inside of the factory. Eight of those people were expelled from the factory with hours stretched, contorted, filthy and covered in chocolate. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? It certainly made the media wonder, but not one of them could reveal what had happened inside there. Contracts are a bitch.

Of course, even more of that fame was due to the candy itself. Every single thing he came out with was extraordinary, unlike anything else. Gum that blew to incredible sizes and that never lost its flavor, ice cream that stayed cold on hot days and never went runny, candy that could make you spit in seven different colors, edible chocolate clockwork toys and so much more. This man, known by no one, was a genius.

After watching countless documentaries, I knew everything there was to know about it. Which, admittedly, wasn't a lot. The things I did know were that 15 years ago, Willy Wonka told every single one of his workers to go home after they began to spy on him and sell his recipes. The only times those huge gates opened were for the Wonka trucks with opaque windows to deliver all that wonderful candy to the world.

Other than those trucks, nobody came in and nobody went out.

When it was announced that there would be another competition, everything went nuts. A group of guys at my school were distributing fake IDs so that people could enter more than once. Chocolate sales went through the roof. Talk about the factory and the impressive things people put in their applications was heard all over school, public transport, shops, everywhere. So I decided to give it a shot. Why not? Everyone else was. I just never dreamed I'd actually win.

My mother scrutinized by expression from across the kitchen counter.

"Well? What does it say?" She asked almost anxiously. I was brought back into reality with a start and I looked at her.

"I get to go. My Application won." I said, kind of dazed.

"Oh my, well that is good news! How lucky are you? You've got a _lot_ of packing to do, Alice. But, holy cow. I can't believe it. Can I see the letter?"

I passed her the letter. There were marks on the paper where I grasped it too tightly.

Her eyes scanned over he piece of paper.

"Wow. This is just.. wow." She looked at me. "You don't seem too excited."

"I am. I'm excited. I think. It's just… sinking in, y'know? I mean, not every day you're invited to one of the most famous places in the world. It seems too surreal. I should probably start packing, shouldn't I?"

"Good idea. Dinner will be ready in about an hour."

I nodded and disappeared into my room, taking out my suitcase from under my bed and beginning to fold and pack everything into it. I didn't have many clothes to begin with. Jeans, shirts, sweaters, coats ,the occasional skirt and one dress. My shoe range was pretty limited, too. A pair of Doc Martens that took me two paychecks to buy, two other pairs of boots that never seemed to match any of my outfits but were absurdly comfortable, a random pair of black flats that cost me about five bucks and a few pairs of converse. You could say I'm not a very fashionable person.

After I finished packing my clothes, I moved onto packing my bag of toiletries which didn't take long, as I already had most of it in a bag.

I was done within the hour, just in time for dinner.

* * *

"God, I'm tired." I sighed after stacking my plate into the dishwasher.

"Then go to bed, hun. You need to catch up on your sleep, anywho. Don't want to arrive at the most famous chocolatier's doorstep half asleep, now would you?"

"You have a good point. I'm really excited, though. Do you know what this means?"  
"That you will have a life changing opportunity to experience working in a chocolate factory and learn lots of really important life lessons?"

"Psh, no. It means that I don't have to go to school for two months."

"And that doesn't mean you shouldn't still be studying, Allie. I'd pack a few of those textbooks if I were you."

"Yeah, I will." I lied. Like I was going to study at a freaking chocolate factory.

"And Alice?"

"Yes Mom?"

"Congratulations. Your father would be very proud."

I hugged her.

"I miss him."

"I do too." She gave a sad chuckle and pulled away, her hands on my shoulders

"Well, you go jump into bed now. Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."  
"Night, mom."

I walked into my bedroom. Ever since my father died four years ago, I kinda dreaded sleep. Often I would dream of us two playing on the swings in the park. Just like the old days. _Boom_. He would then fall to his knees, blood trickling out of the ragged hole in his chest. My father died five years ago, when I was 10. He hadn't really been pushing me on the swing when he died. He was an accountant, shot in a bank robbery.

My subconscious just wanted to fuck with me even more, so it gave me a pleasant memory and then shat death and horror all over it.

I changed into my pajamas after brushing my teeth and climbed under the covers. I lay there for about an hour, struggling with my thoughts. Good ones. Bad ones. I wanted to feel happy. This was a great opportunity, so why was I so calm about this? Why wasn't I jumping up and down on my bed? Thousands, possibly millions of people had applied for this contest. It's still just sinking in, I told myself again and eventually, I managed to close off my thoughts and fall into a light slumber.


	2. Chapter 2: Flying High

**Chapter 2**

**Flying High**

**Rating: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The only thing I own is my imagination and my words. This is the rubbish product of those two things combined.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Alone In Kyoto" By Air **

**A/N: I'm going through and updating the chapters again, since I've got nothing better to do. So, here's the updated version of chapter 2. Hope you like it! **

* * *

The three days passed like minutes. I spent those days saying my goodbyes to relatives and friends and packing last minute things. I became more and more excited as those three days past and by the time they were done, I was a walking ball of nervous energy.

I stood on the sand next to Beth, the waves roaring in my ears and the wind knotting my hair. The beach had always been our agreed meeting place, even in the winter when the icy temperatures froze us the bone. We'd been friends ever since I could remember. When I was four, Beth and her family moved into the house next door. From that moment on, we were inseparable, even when they moved houses five years later.

We were an odd match, really. Beth; blond, tall, athletic, and as social as a butterfly. Me? I was brunette, short, puny, pale and as social as a cactus. She was confident, yet kind and gentle. I was more withdrawn and introverted, yet smart-mouthed and annoying. Prickly. And yet, somewhere in the midst of the chaos of this arbitrary life, we had become friends. Strange, isn't it?

"I'm gonna miss you so much, Ally. What am I going to do without you?" She said, laughing as she unstuck a few blonde strands of hair from her lip gloss. Watermelon, her favorite flavor.

"I'll be back before you know it. You'll be wishing I was gone for longer."

She laughed, but looked at her watch. "I have to get home soon. I hope you have an amazing time. You're going to tell me everything when you get back! Promise?" She held out her pinky.

I grinned. "Promise," And I locked my pinky with hers.

She suddenly pulled me into a big hug and I brought my wrist up to look at my watch.

"I'm being picked up in twenty minutes." I said sadly.

"I won't make you late, then. Don't forget our promise." I nodded and she smiled. "Well, I guess I'll see you in two months."

"You too." I said. She slipped a note into my hand, and turned to leave.

"Bring me back chocolate!" She called over her shoulder. I stared after her, not wanting her to leave. Not wanting me to leave. I'd never travelled much. Never even been out of the country. The nerves were getting to me. The prospect of unfamiliarity was, to be frank, scary. Disorganized as I was, there was always the hint of a routine to my life. After my father died, I clang to every single little thing I had. Furniture, toys, pictures. The stickers I'd stuck on the side of my small wardrobe with Beth were still there. A bunch of random German calendars from 1967-1992 still sat inside my desk drawer, despite them being given to me when I was probably about five. Everything was always the same, and now I was being plunged into a world full of the unknown. Down the rabbit hole.

"_But, when the Rabbit actually took a watch out of its waistcoat pocket, and looked at it, and the hurried on, Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it, and was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge. _

_In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again."_

* * *

I stood out side my front gate, watching as the cab drove up in front of us.

"Well, I guess it's time to go." I said in a quiet, anxious voice, hugging her as tightly as my arms would allow before letting her go again.

"I'm going to miss you, Mom. I'll call you when I get there though."

"Looking forward to it. Gosh, I'm getting all teary, I'll miss you so much, sweetie. I love you." She gave a silly grin, fanning down her face.

The driver grabbed my two suitcases and put them into the boot of the fancy black car.

I smiled. "You too, mom."

I kissed her on the cheek, and climbed into the waiting car. I wound down my window as soon as I was in, waving at the figure that was slowly disappearing into the horizon, and even after it had.

* * *

Within an hour or so, we arrived at the airport. With my stomach churning with nerves and excitement, I was glad I skipped breakfast.

I got out of the car and the driver handed me the tickets. Stuffing them into my bag so I didn't accidentally drop them, I walked into the airport. For such a vast place, it was awfully cramped.

As I stood in the long bustling terminal I could sense the excitement of holidayers waiting to be flown to their far flung dream destination, but I couldn't share their excitement. I was too damn nervous.

Once I was cleared through Security, I followed the signs leading to my designated gate. I sat down in the blue chairs for about half an hour. Eventually, an airline representative announced that the plane was ready for them to board. I lined up behind a few people and waited for my ticket to be scanned. Once they did that, I shoved my larger suitcase up the top, but left the smaller one down. I wanted to get my books, sketchbook and my pencil case out so I wouldn't be completely bored. I already had my iPod in my purse.

I quickly shoved the small suitcase back up the top, and sat down my assigned seat, which was closest to the window. My stomach was churning with excitement and nervousness, so I plugged in my earphones and turned on some music in attempt to ease my nerves. It did help. I felt a little less lightheaded now, listening to some good ol' death metal music.

A young man sat beside me, and he too put on his earphones.

I grabbed my sketchbook and opened the page to my latest sketch, planning on finishing it on this long flight.

If there was one thing that could calm me down, it was drawing. I wasn't the best and I could definitely use some improvement, but concentrating on where to put each line of the paper was a distraction like no other.

After a while, the plane took off. My ears felt blocked up and I moaned, the dizziness getting to me again. Maybe I should have eaten breakfast. I closed my sketchbook and closed my eyes, leaning back against the seat.

"You got blocked ears too?" Said the guy next to me, somewhat sympathetically. I opened my eyes and looked at him. He had light brown hair and wide brown eyes. He was tall and skinny, wearing a stripy top and skinny jeans with a closed laptop on top of them.

"Yep." I said grumpily.

"I hate that part. Want a piece of gum? It helps."

"Thanks." I gave a hesitant smile and took a piece of gum in my mouth. It did help a bit. "I'm Alice, by the way."

"I'm John. Nice to meet you. You're a really good drawer, by the way. I couldn't help noticing." He flushed ever so slightly. "Can I see?"

"Sure," I passed the book to him.

He scanned through the pages with those big brown eyes.

"Wow. You're really good. I'm impressed." He gave a lopsided grin.

"Not really. I just draw a lot when I'm bored. But thanks."

"No really, you're amazing.' He suddenly groaned. 'I feel sick.."

"Me too. Haha." I closed my eyes again, trying to concentrate on the words of the music and not my churning stomach.

Eventually, I dozed off. I couldn't say how long I was asleep, because I was asleep. How would I know? I do know that I was awoken by the Airhostess, pulling that little table thingy filled with food and stuff.

"Sorry, miss. Would you like anything?"

I blinked, still groggy. "Uh.." I was pretty hungry, actually. "Yes please." She passed me the menu. "Er.. Can I get a...hm... Chicken Caesar salad?"

The airhostess nodded. "Of course." She bent down and picked up a pre-packaged Caesar Salad, and passed it to me. I gave her the money. "Thank you."

"Would you like anything else?"

"No thanks." She nodded and pulled the trolley slightly further up to serve the people in front of me.

* * *

When I got off the plane and I collected my luggage before venturing outside. I found a man dressed in one of those extravagant driver suits, holding a piece of paper that said my name on it. At that point, I was practically shivering and jumping with excitement. I couldn't believe that I was actually here in London. Although, I think the shivering was partly because of the glacial wind that beat my cheeks red. The ground was covered in snow.

"Hi. I'm Alice." He shook my hand, and we rode together to the hotel. He seemed extremely serious, as I tried to make a conversation. In the end, I simply just jabbered on happily, not caring if he was listening or not and not minding that he never answered.

By the time we got back to the hotel, night had fallen, the last rays of the sun evanescing below the horizon. The driver helped me carry my bags into the lobby, and checked me in. I carried the bags into the elevator and went to find my assigned room. When I found it, I dumped my suitcases on the bed, and collapsed in an exhausted heap onto the sofa, before ordering room service. Even though I was mentally and physically weary from the long trip, I found it difficult to go to sleep, so I just watched TV until I was tired, which was about 2:00am. Before I dozed off, I managed to get myself into a shower and change into my pajamas, setting my alarm for 7:00am.

I hoped to dear god that I would wake up to it.

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_Ugh. Shut up, you stupid alarm._

_Oh crap._

I sprung up, throwing the covers off my and began rummaging around in my suitcase, struggling to find something decent to wear. I should have planned this beforehand, but it'd never really crossed my mind.

I hurriedly tore apart my suitcase, eventually deciding on a navy skirt, a white top, a red cardigan and tights.

I cursed out loud when I couldn't find my cheap black slip-ons, so I settled for my mid-calf length lace up boots that didn't match my outfit at all. Oh well. At least they were comfy.

I ran the brush hastily through my hair and tied it up in a messy bun on top of my head, brushing my bangs out to finish my hurried look.

Next, I dug around in my toiletries bags, trying to find the products I would usually wear. Mascara, a bit of eyeliner so my eyes didn't look so small and lip gloss. Cherry flavored, my favorite. I would wear foundation if I could, but the problem was that I'm pretty sure foundation didn't even come in my shade unless it was Halloween face paint. I was too pale, a product of staying in my room all day with the curtains closed, staring into a computer screen. Not even the lovely pale, either. The type those glamorous vampires and models had. No, I was stark white, or maybe grey, with an uneven skin tone. I got my dad's hair and my mom's skin, which wasn't the greatest match. My mom was pale, not quite as much as me, but it matched her blonde hair. My dad's hair was dark, but it didn't look so harsh with his skin tone. Damn you, genetics.

I stuffed everything back into my suitcase once I was finished getting ready. Luckily, it only took a few minutes. I put aside my military styled coat and leather gloves to wear outside. I wish I'd brought a scarf or some gloves. Maybe a beanie. It looked freezing outside.

After brushing my teeth, hurriedly making the bed and running downstairs so fast I almost tripped, I made it to the front doors.

Looking at my watch, I discovered it was 7:56am. Phew. 4 minutes early. I quickly looked in my small suitcase to make sure I had grabbed the toiletries bag. I did.

I looked at my watch again. It was 8 now.

A long, shiny black limo pulled up beside the hotel. It had a W on it. I assumed it was my ride.

The driver got out, and looked at me. "Miss Hatts?"

"That's me."

He opened the door. I thanked him, and climbed in while he put my suitcases in the boot of the car.


	3. Chapter 3: Willy Wonka

**Chapter 3**

**Willy Wonka**

**Rating: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The only thing I own is a sad drawing of Willy Wonka.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Pure Imagination (Arrangement)" By Helen Marshall**

**A/N: Reviews are very much appreciated :) **

* * *

When I arrived, there was a large crowd surrounding the gates of the factory. 'Large' is an understatement, really. There were hundreds, possibly thousands, of people crammed up in the streets, trying desperately to get a glimpse of the enigmatic chocolatier. Cars honked impatiently at the people standing on the road and cameras flashed madly. When the driver managed to get to it's reserved park up the front, he stepped out, got my luggage and helped me push through the sea of people. I saw three people, already standing by the gates, easily distinguished from the rest of the crowd. Security Guards stood in a semi-circle around the gates, keeping the others back. I dug around in my purse, and pulled out my letter of acceptance from Willy Wonka, showing it to one of the security guards.

"I'm Alice Hatts," I said. The Guard nodded. I took that as a 'Yes, you can go through' type of gesture. I thanked the driver, and took my luggage off of his hands, pushing past the guards and assuming my place next to the other three people. I looked at the people standing next to me, who were also observing me in mild interest.

"I didn't think this would be so public." Said the girl next to me. She seemed to be of Asian decent and spoke with an odd accent. Kind of a mix of Irish, Chinese and English.

"I know right? I wonder what all the fuss is about." The guy standing next to her said wondrously, casting a wide-eyed glance over his shoulder to the immense crowd. Judging by his accent, he was from the states, like me. Good old 'murica. This guy had dark brown hair, almost a bit reddish in the sunlight. His eyes were light green, nice looking. He had a handsome face. I looked back at the crowd, wondering idly why so many had showed up. I mean sure, there's the chance that they'd get a glimpse of Willy Wonka, but why would you go out of your way in this weather just for a glimpse? I saw there were quite a few 'I love you, Willy' and 'Marry me' signs scattered amongst the crowd. Oh. Fangirls. That explained it.

"Oh, I'm Hayden by the way. Nice to meet you." He addressed us all with a smile.

"I'm Kim." Said the girl next to me. She was hugging her torso, teeth chattering slightly.

"I'm Tim. It rhymes." The guy at the end said with a chuckle. He flipped his sandy blonde hair. He seemed like one of those surfer-dude types. He was wearing bootleg jeans and a button up T-Shirt, his hands dug into his pockets. He didn't seem to be too affected by the cold. Lucky weird bastard.

Another girl arrived and stood next to me, struggling slightly with her suitcases. Her red hair flew around her face angrily as a gust of wind blew. She was tall and skinny, but in a graceful, willy type of way. Her eyes were pretty- large and honey-colored.

Kim groaned. "When do we get to go inside? I'm fucking cold." She muttered. I don't think the others heard.

"Probably soon, now that the last person is here." I said, wishing I'd brought a warmer coat, or at least worn something else underneath.

We waited for a few more minutes when the door of the factory opened. To my surprise, the 'three doors' actually opened to be one door. Behind the door were rich, crimson colored curtains, with golden tassels and a 'W' in each corner. It contrasted oddly with the monochromatic factory, and in extension, city.

The curtain parted slightly and two figures stepped out from behind. One was tall and slim, almost androgynous in appearance. The other was small and youthful, obviously a child. I couldn't really make out what they were wearing from this distance. All I could see was a splash of dark azure blue, and a deep plum color. Even from the distance, I could see the taller man wore a top hat and walked with a cane.

The crowd roared as he raised a hand in greeting. The young boy also waved. He was an almost perfect replica of the Chocolatier.

They walked down the steps together, all the while the crowd still crying out, and stopped at the bottom. The man with the top hat, who I assumed to be Willy Wonka, walked with a slight limp. I noticed now that he was using a cane.

They paused for a few seconds, observing the star struck crowd.

"Open the gates." A majestic voice commanded. Even though its tone seemed to be serious, you could hear the childlike undertone.

The huge gates slowly opened. I held my breath.

I looked over to the others, wondering if we should walk in now. Hayden shrugged when he saw my glance.

"Come forward." It ordered.

There we go, problem solved. We walked forward in a line, passing through the gates and into the massive, amazing, world famous factory.

"Close the gates," He said in his serious tone.

I could have sworn I heard a small giggle at the end.

We stopped a few meters away from the bottom of the steps, where they were standing.

At this distance, I could fully appreciate the finely made outfits they were wearing.

The man, was wearing a deep plum colored coat, which seemed to be made out of velvet. It fell down to about his knees. The checkered trim of his hat matched the coats color. Underneath, he wore a black vest and black trousers. There was a silver chain that fell over his vest. A pocket watch, perhaps. His shiny black shoes, adorned with small silver W's, had heels.

The man himself could barely be seen. The giant, insect-like glasses covered most of his face. The only thing I could see was the ethereally pale complexion and a stained red mouth, which stretched over perfect, white teeth. If I wasn't mistaken, he seemed maybe as nervous as I felt. There was something forced about that smile. I couldn't see his eyes. It was unnerving. Chocolate colored, bobbed hair covered the sides of his face and neck.

The young boy standing next to him, who I assumed to be his heir Charlie, was wearing a dark, azure blue vest with buttons running down two sides.

He wore a similar coat to Mr. Wonka, except in a dark velvety blue. He wore shorts and socks that came to just below his knee.

Willy Wonka stood there for a few moments, observing us. The position of his mouth did not give away what he was thinking. In all honesty, I thought he was fucking creepy. He seemed almost frozen.

I cast a glance at the girl with red hair beside me. She looked frightened out of her wits. There was a long silence.

The young boy, Charlie, suddenly leant in and nudged his mentor. Willy Wonka jumped, grin disappearing for a split-second before plastering an even wider one on.

"Good Morning, Starshine! The earth says 'Hello!'" He said, brightly.

"Morning!" Replied Kim, unfazed. The others seemed somewhat lost for words. He saw the confusion on the rest of our faces, and pursed his lips.

Willy Wonka certainly looked much younger than what we were expecting. I'd seen the occasional picture of him, but they were all from 20 or so years ago. He remained mysteriously unchanged. The only thing that had changed was his hair, really.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a bunch of cards.

"Dear Guest, greetings! I shake you warmly by the hand." He said quickly and extended a latex clad hand out, but then pulled it back with a squeak and a slight wince. "My name is Willy Wonka." He continued with a giggle.

"You're Willy Wonka?" Tim said, brushing his sandy blonde hair out of his eyes, disbelief coloring his tone.

"Sure am." He cocked his head to the side and smiled again. "Alrighty, then. Let's not stand out here in the cold! Come quickly, far too much to see." He turned on his heel and proceeded to walk up the steps, Charlie by his side.

The rest of us followed. We passed through the curtains.

"What's this?" I asked, surprised at what I saw. There were doll-like things all around, stuck to brightly colored backboards. There were giant candy canes and lollipops.

Mr. Wonka spun around to look at me. "All in good time, little girl. You'll get to see it later! 'Kay?"

"I'm not a little girl." I retorted. "I happen to be 16."

He snorted "16? Yeah, you are. And y'know what little girls do?"

"Play with dolls and look innocent?"

"No." He shot my answer down quickly. "Little girls mumble and that just so happens to be what you're doing right now. I can't understand a _word_ your saying."

"Then ho-"

"On we go?" He spun on his heel and continued walking. I huffed and followed after him, passing through a long black curtain and into a long hallway. It was warm.

"Just drop your coats and bags anywhere." He said, removing his glasses and coat.

I removed my coat and put my bags on the ground. Almost immediately, they started floating upwards, disappearing through an opening in the ceiling.

"Where do they go?" Hayden asked in fascination as he watched his own luggage fly upwards.

"Why, they go to your very own rooms!" Willy Wonka said proudly.

"How do they know which rooms they go to? And whose coats are whose?" I asked.

"You remind me a lot of a little boy I used to know." He replied, otherwise ignoring my questions. "Oh! Speaking of little boys, I forgot to introduce Charlie. This is Charlie, the heir to my factory! You probably would have seen him on TV or in the newspaper."

"Hello," Charlie said to us, somewhat shyly. He stood closely by his mentors' side, tugging on his sleeve.

"You have no idea how famous you are, kid." I chuckled lightly, remembering the 'Charlie Bucket Fanclub' a group of girls made at my school. About 20 people actually joined, and they had daily meetings and activities. The whole shebang.

"Mr. Wonka?" Kim said.

"Yah?"

"I'm Kim Chen. Thanks for inviting us. It's an honor. I really love your hat, by the way. It's pretty hot." She winked at him.

Willy Wonka's brows shot up, then knitted back together in confusion. He placed a hand on his hat. "Really? My hat seems quite cold.. Anywho, yer' most certainly welcome!"

"My name's Hayden. It's a pleasure to meet you." Hayden said.

"I bet it is." Willy responded in a sugary sweet voice and an even sweeter smile. The narcissistic bastard.

"I'm Tim." Tim added simply.

"Well, since everybody's introducing themselves, I'm Alice Hatts." Mr. Wonka grinned and opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, raising his hand to point. I quickly added, "Before you make an 'Alice in Wonderland' joke, I swear to god I've heard every single last one of them." I said.

Mr. Wonka pouted and lowered his hand. "Darn. I had a good one." He suddenly turned to the girl with the red hair expectantly.

"Oh, uh. I-I'm Candice." She said nervously, stretching her sleeves around her hand.

"Super! Marvelous! Well, now that everyone is introduced, let's get a move on. We've got a _lot_ to see!" He spun on his heel and continued down the hall, Charlie tripping over himself to keep up with the chocolatier.


	4. Chapter 4: The Chocolate Factory

**Chapter 4**

**The Chocolate Factory**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, anyone or anything affiliated with it. Believe me, I've tried.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Always Summer" by Adrian Johnston **

**A/N: You know the drill. "Review blah blah blah" But seriously. Review. **

* * *

We began walking down the hall. As we walked, I noticed that the little objects off to the side actually got smaller. So did the red carpet. By the time we got to the end of the hall, the objects were miniature. The hall wasn't nearly as long as I was expecting. The door couldn't possibly fit anyone through it.

He was bent down slightly. The roof, which looked amazingly tall at first, was barely tall enough to fit a person. I, being unnaturally short for someone of my age, fitted perfectly.

"An important room, this. After all, it is a Chocolate Factory."

"How are you supposed to get through the door?" I asked.

"With a key, silly!" He giggled and pulled out a bunch of keys from his coat.

"Why is the door so small?" I asked again. He paused, looking at me.

"You wouldn't by any chance be related to someone called Mike Teavee?"

"No."

"Good." He got one of the keys and put it into the tiny door.

Mr. Wonka raised a hand and pushed the door open. The wall was actually the door.

It was so.. colorful. The grass was unnaturally green. Too bright. The trees seemed to be made out of taffy, with apples hanging from them. There were bushes that sprouted lollipops, mushrooms with whipped cream on the top. I'll admit it was pretty darn beautiful. But the real beauty was the waterfall. Pure, melted chocolate gushed out near the top, and flowed into a river.

"It looks like shit." Kim said, pointing to the river.

Willy Wonka gasped and put two gloved hands over Charlie's ears.

"It's Chocolate. Duh."

"Wow. Did you do this all yourself?" Hayden wondered, eyes wide.

"Yah. Everything from scratch. Of course, the Oompa Loompas do a marvelous job maintaining it all! I dunno what I'd do without them." He smiled adoringly.

"What are Oompa Loompas?"

"They're my workers. Directly imported from Loompa land. I feel I must warn you, though, they are rather mischievous." He giggled.

"Loompa Land?" I asked, disbelievingly. This whole place seemed fucked.

"Loompa Land."

"There's no such thing." I scoffed.

"How do you know, Miss Smartypants?"

"Because Geography is one of my best subjects, and Loompa Land does not exist on the world map."

"You hear that sound?"

"What sound?" I asked.

"The sound of your fecal matter hitting my dreams." He replied sweetly.

I exchanged a glance with Kim. Mr. Wonka looked at me with a satisfied smile when I didn't reply.

"Now then," He pointed to the Waterfall with his cane. "The waterfall is most important. It mixes the chocolate. Churns it up. Makes it light and frothy."

"And by the way, everything in this room is edible. Yeah." He giggled.

"Even the grass?" I asked, smirking. Of course the grass couldn't be edible. People would have walked on it.

"Even the grass. However, I do not recommend eating the grass. Ya never know what could be on the soles of people's shoes." He scrunched his face slightly. "Anyway, please do not touch the chocolate river. It has to be sterile."

"What happens if something goes rotten?" Kim asked.

"The Oompa Loompas take care of that. They are such wonderful workers. Well, go on. Try something." He made a small gesture with his hands. "Go ahead."

Kim, Hayden, Tim explored the room. Candice and I stayed put.

"Arent'cha going?" He asked, observing me. For the first time, I noticed that his eyes were they most unusual shade of purple.

"No." I replied simply.

"Why not? The candy's wonderful." Charlie said, his blue-green eyes twinkling.

"Because it's probably drugged or something." I thought to myself.

I scrambled for an excuse. "Oh, uh. I forgot my hand sanitizer."

"Oh." Charlie said.

Willy Wonka smirked, obviously not believing my excuse. He probably saw the distrust in my eyes before I replied. However, he remained silent.

I was starting to dread the two months I had to spend here.

* * *

The whole tour of the factory took almost the whole day, even though we'd only just begun to scratch the tip of the iceberg.

We didn't go into each room, mainly just went past them in the elevator. Even then, after visiting easily over a hundred rooms, Mr. Wonka told us these were the very main, basic ones. Most of them weren't even accessible by the elevator.

The factory actually reminded me of the internet, for some reason.

Ever heard of the 'Deep Web'? The Deep Web is the part of the internet that is basically hidden. You can't access any of the sites using Google or any other search engine and it's pretty hard to access.

The Deep Web contains about 91,000 terabytes of information, compared to the mere 167 terabytes the Surface Web contains. The Surface Web is pretty much what you browse everyday and what is accessible by search engines and the likes.

You thought the internet you knew was big? It's nothing compared to the Deep Web.

This Factory reminded me of it. Who knew what lurked below, right?

We stopped for a lunch break at the Cafeteria half way through the day. Mr. Wonka didn't eat anything.

After that, he took us to the 'Oompa Loompa Quarters', smirking at me almost the entire time.

By the end of the day, I was annoyed and tired and just wanted to go to bed. Mr. Wonka had obviously taken a disliking to me.

After dinner in the Cafeteria, we were shown where our rooms were. Poor Charlie was half asleep, by that point.

There was a long corridor, with doors evenly spaced throughout. They each had a name on them.

"See the doors? Yeah. They all have your names on 'em. I'm sure you all can figure out which room is yours. Hopefully." He shot a look at me. "Now go on, scoot. Your luggage needs unpacking. We've got a big day tomorrow!"

"Are we starting work tomorrow?" I asked.

"Sure are. Oh! I almost forgot. I've put your work clothes in your wardrobes. 'Kay? I expect you all to be down in the Common Room by 9am. From there, I will assign you jobs. Night!" He turned on his heel and walked off.

"He's so weird." Kim said, as soon as he was out of sight, frowning.

"He's probably high." I said.

"Why is he suddenly letting people work in his factory? I mean, he let 5 kids and their parents in the factory for a tour, but the last time he had workers was like 20 years ago." Candice said quietly, blushing deeply from her outburst.

"And even then, 4 of them came out like mutants." Hayden added.

"Well, personally, I think he's a bitch." I said.

"Don't you mean bastard?" Tim asked.

"No, bitch. Bastard is for men."

Kim looked down the long hallway. "Shut up. He'll hear you. I'm going to unpack my stuff." She walked off. I nodded in agreement, and walked down the hallway too, looking for my name on the door.


	5. Chapter 5: Frills and Bows

**Chapter 5**

**Frills and Bows**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If I did, I would dress Willy Wonka up in a sheep costume, just because I can.**

**Theme song for chapter: "En Spirals" by Mondialito **

**A/N: Did you like this chapter? Did you hate this chapter? Do you think I could improve on this chapter? How so? Did you like the song? Did you have a nice day today? Do you have a nose? If you answered yes to one or more of the above, review please! I always love to hear your thoughts, opinions and even criticism on my work.**

* * *

I felt a tug on my leg.

And another one.

My consciousness slowly came back to me, and I opened one eye experimentally.

Ugh. One of those godforsaken Oompa Loompas was standing next to my bed, tugging on the leg that was just out of the covers. It bowed when it saw my eyes open.

"Alright, shortstuff, I'm up." I said groggily, pulling the covers off. I grabbed my iPod that was lying on the bedside table and looked at the time. It was 7:33. I glanced back and saw that the Oompa Loompa had disappeared.

Groaning, I lifted myself off the warm bed, proceeding to open the wardrobe. I hadn't even bothered looking at the new uniform yet, or even unpacking. There were clothes strewn around the room from last night when I was looking for my pajamas.

"Ew." I said out loud when I saw the uniform. Was he serious? Ugh. It was hideous. And _frilly_. I hate frills.

The uniform consisted of a blouse with slightly puffy short sleeves. The collar had a bow and frills. I shuddered inwardly. Next time I was out, I was going to buy a sewing kit. The vest was pretty normal, on the contrary which kind of toned down the blouse. The skirt was also thankfully normal. But I still hated the blouse.

I stared at the outfit for a moment in disgust before slamming the wardrobe doors shut. I'll wear it to work, fine, but I'm not wearing that thing anywhere else. I grabbed a pair of jeans and the blouse I wore yesterday. It was clean, and I'd only be wearing it for 15 minutes or so. I brushed my long brown hair out, and left it down. If there was one thing I was proud of, it was my hair. But then again, I'm a reasonably proud person. It was long, wavy and silky. My chestnut brown hair almost came down to my waist. I'd always gotten a lot of compliments on it, which naturally boosted my already huge ego.

I slipped on my boots and walked out of my room, closing the door behind me.

"Morning Alice." Came a voice. I turned round to see Tim also coming out of his room. He closed his door.

"Good morning, Starshine!" I said mockingly. He laughed.

"The earth say's 'Hello!'. Hey, are you going to the Cafeteria?" He asked.

"Yep." We walked down the hall together and got into the Wonkavator.

I pressed the 'Cafeteria' button.

"Have you seen the uniforms?" Tim asked, almost nervously.

I groaned. "I have. They're terrible. There are frills and bows everywhere." I winced. "What's your uniform like?"

"You'll see." He muttered, darkly. The Elevator dinged and we stepped out. Kim was already there. Like us, she wasn't wearing the uniform yet.

"Hello." She said with her mouth full.

I grabbed my breakfast, toast and orange juice, and sat down on her table.

Tim also sat down after getting his breakfast.

I nibbled on my piece of toast.

"So, what kind of jobs do you think we'll be getting?" I asked no one in particular.

"Dunno. Ha!" Kim suddenly lurched forward, laughing. I turned around, wondering what she was laughing at.

Hayden stood just outside of the Wonkavator, looking pissed.

The boy's uniform was almost as bad as the girls'. They had the same kind of belt, except it was a vest. The under top was a plain white, short sleeved shirt with a simple collar, and their trousers were pretty plain looking too. The thing that had Kim in hysterics was a bright pink bow on the front of the vest. Soon, I was guffawing alongside her.

"Shut up." He muttered, sitting down. Even Tim was chuckling.

"So- this is what you have to wear?" I asked Tim, calming down a bit.

"No. Mine's like that, but without the bow." He answered. Damn. So only the girls had to wear humiliating outfits.

"What? So I'm the only one who has to wear this bow? Crap." Hayden cursed.

"Don't worry. We have to wear it too.. Except our bow is red. But I think the frills compensate." I said.

"He probably thinks you're a tranny because you're so pwitty." Kim said in a babyish voice and reached over, pinching Hayden's cheek. He shot a glare at her with his green eyes.

There was silence for a few minutes. I ate the rest of my toast.

"Well, I'm going to go and get ready now. Wish me luck." I downed the rest of my orange juice and stood up out of my seat, with a loud scrape, and set off back to my room.

* * *

The Wonkavator opened with a ding. I stepped out into the Common Room.

It looks like I was the first to arrive. Well, out of the 5 of us. Willy Wonka next to the fireplace, leaning on it slightly, looking at his pocket watch. He turned his face towards me and put the watch back in his coat.

I glared at him, humiliated. "Why so many frills?" I demanded, struggling to maintain my dignity.

"Because frills are just so gosh darn snazzy, don't cha think?" He replied, smiling. He straightened up and leaned forward on his cane.

"Then why don't you wear frills? I don't see you wearing any."

He smiled, tilting his head down slightly, giving him the appearance of a mischievous child. "How do you know, Miss. Smartypants?"

I didn't know whether to smile or frown so I kept a straight face. "A bit too much information. Can I at least remove the bow?"

"No."

"I look horrendous!" I exclaimed.

"On the contrary, I think it looks nice on you. But yah, it's true, _you_ look horrendous."

I my fell slightly and I turned my face to look somewhere else, not wanting him to see.

"You're Willy Wonka? I was expecting something better." I retaliated, bluffing contempt.

He chuckled. "Petty insults do not work on me, little girl. Neither does changing the subject."

"I mean, let's be honest, you could easily pass for a girl."

"And maybe, in a certain light, you could too."

"I'd bet you're really short when you take off your hat and heels."

"I'm fun sized, bucko."

"I've always wondered why they called things 'fun-sized'. Novelty Chocolate, for example. Where's the fun in those tiny, bite sized pieces of chocolate?"

"I've always wondered the same thing myself. And that it why I find you incredibly boring."

"You're probably just as short as me. I wouldn't get too high and mighty."

"Oh, poppycock! It's physically impossible for anyone to be as short as _you_."

"Oh really? Let's see then." I crossed my arms smugly. "Take it off."

His mouth fell into a small 'o'.

"I will not remove my clothes!" He almost gasped.

"Just your heels and your hat." I said, smirking at his alarmed expression.

"Never! I can't believe you would… suggest that I would _remove my shoes_. The very notion is insane."

I scoffed. "Whatever, then. Hey, Hayden." I waved as I heard the 'Ding' of the Wonkavator. He looked just as pissed as before. I could see by the ruffled state of the vest that he had tried to remove the bow, without success.

I heard Mr. Wonka giggle, covering his mouth with his gloved hand. I noticed he was wearing a different colored suit, today. The design was much like the previous one; coat and vest, except the coat and trim of his top hat were a blue color. It resembled Charlie's, except Charlie's was a brighter hue.

Hayden's face was flushed, lips pursed. Mr. Wonka just grinned.

"Why am I the only who has to wear this?" He asked. It would have sounded threatening, if his voice hadn't cracked towards the end.

"Oh, calm for llamas! It was a joke." Mr. Wonka waved a hand dismissively.

"How do I take it off?" Hayden asked.

"Now there, why would you want to take it off? It looks _lovely_."

Hayden threw his hands up in the air in exasperation.

The Elevator dinged again and Candice stepped out. The uniform didn't look too bad on her. Hayden sat down at the table.

"Morning." Mr. Wonka said brightly.

"Uh, morning." She replied, unsure of where to stand.

I flipped my hair and sat down next to Hayden.

A few minutes passed until Kim and Tim arrived. They both stepped out of the Elevator and took a seat across from Hayden and I.

"Alrighty then. Now that everyone's here, let's begin!" He put his pocket watch back into his coat and walked towards the front of the room, grinning like an excited child.

"I've made a roster for each of you, which should be in your skirt or pants pockets. 'Kay?" I reach into mine and felt a piece of paper. I didn't look at it yet.

"You may use the Wonkavator to get to wherever you need. On the back of the Roster, there is a list of rules. Be sure to read them. If any one of those rules is broken, well, there will be punishments." He smiled sweetly. "Most likely, you'll be given a few jobs a day." He giggled.

"Lunch starts at 2:30 and ends at 3:15. There's a complete timetable on the Roster, just in case. Work ends 5, but sometimes you might be asked to stay for a while longer, depending on the job that happens to be assigned at that point. For some jobs, you'll have a partner. Also, you'll have Sundays and Wednesdays off." He glanced at us, and then reached behind the chair he was standing next to, holding up 5 bags.

"These" He passed one to me. "Should be kept on you at all times. They've lotsa important stuff inside, that you'll find super-duper handy while on the job. Please take a look at them in your own time. I'm afraid we have to keep on schedule."

I took the Roster out of my pocket and looked at it. There was a timetable. For today, the first job I was assigned was 'Dessert Island'. In the partner's section, Kim's name was there. The second was 'Chewing Gum Room', with Tim. That was all for today.

"Mr. Wonka?" I said, looking up from the Roster.

"Yah?"

"What do we do? It only says a room, partner, and the time frame."

"What?"

"What are we actually supposed to do in the rooms?"

"Oh! I forgot. To find out what task you have to complete, just tap on the name of the room, and it should appear."

I tapped on the name on my Roster, not really knowing what he was on about. Of course nothing would happen. It was a piece of _paper_, for goodness sake.

But, in spite of my rationalizing, the name _did_ disappear and in its place were a set of instructions, written in a slightly smaller font to fit it all. It was like a touch screen or something, but on paper.

'Oh." I said, surprised. "There is an infestation of Apple Crabs in the Dessert Island Room. Take care of it." I read aloud. "Oh, how descriptive." I added, annoyed.

"Well, let's go." Kim said, standing up, putting her bag over her shoulder. It was kind of like a messenger bag.

I nodded, and we walked into the Wonkavator. Hayden squeezed in with us and pressed a button. I observed the hundreds of names there. The Wonkavator took off, making my stomach lurch. Kim bumped her shoulder onto the side of the wall.

"Ouch." She cursed. It turned a few corners before arriving at its destination. Hayden stepped out.

"Where's Dessert Island?" I muttered, mostly to myself.

"Dunno. Can't find it." Kim answered, also searching. I decided to start at the very first button, right at the top left corner and work my way down. After about 4 minutes, there was still nothing.

"It's not there." I said. I rummaged through my bag, hoping that there was something of use. I came across a phone like thing, except the only buttons were the 'call' and 'end call' button.

"Do you think we should use it?" Kim asked, observing the 'phone'.

I shrugged. "Might as well give it a go." I passed it to her, not wanting to call that horrendous son of a-

"Hello?" Kim spoke into the phone. She paused for a few seconds.

"We can't find Dessert Island." She stated, pausing for a few more seconds.

She nodded a few times. "Ok. Thanks." And pressed 'End Call'.

"Who did it call?"

"Doris, apparently. Must be an Oompa Loompa or something."

"Oh. It was probably the one at Administration." I said, remembering the tour.

"Yeah. So, we have to go to the Docks and then take a boat out to Dessert Island. What fuckery is this?"

I pressed the 'Dock' button and the Wonkavator zoomed off to its destination.

* * *

**Oh, and yes, I was implying that Willy Wonka wears frilly undergarments.**


	6. Chapter 6: Dessert Island

**Chapter 6**

**Dessert Island**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Because if I did [insert witty sentence here].**

**Theme song for chapter: "Tsugi no Usagi" by Moon Kana**

**A/N: Just a little note, if I don't have a good song to match the chapter, I'll just put a random one. When I mean random, I mean random. Above is a good example. Go and see for yourself… *Covers ears***

**Anywho, please review! I really want to get this fanfiction back up to it's former glory after the loss of over 100 reviews. Yeah, yeah. It's my fault and I'm such a clutz, but review anyway.**

**Reviewers get a cookie.**

* * *

The Wonkavator came to a sudden halt, and the doors opened with a satisfying 'Ding'. I stepped out, feeling the sand shift around my shoes where I stepped.

I gazed at my surroundings. We were standing on a beach. Small little boats bobbed slightly in the water. There was a dock that jutted out into the blue sea that reflected the sky. The sky. I looked up. Yep, that sure as hell was a sky. Impossible. My brow furrowed as I tried to think of a rational explanation of there being a sky. It was probably an illusion of some sort. Some screen on the ceiling, maybe. I shrugged it off, and hurried over to Kim, who was already making her way over to the dock.

I stepped up onto the wooden deck. "Which boat do you think we take?" I asked.

She shrugged. "No idea." She looked at them, and uncertain expression coming over her face. "And how are we even supposed to fit? They're tiny. Well, you'll fit because you're short. No offense. But still." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I bet the others got easy jobs." The boats were indeed tiny. Well, for us humans at least. I imagined they'd be normal for the Oompa Loompas.

"True. Well, no one seems to be around. We should just take one." I craned my neck, shielding my eyes from the sun. Yep, there was a sun too. No doubt an artificial light or something. Regardless, it all felt so real. I looked out into the ocean and saw a small island off into the distance. I don't think Island would be the correct word. It was more like a swirl of whipped cream, or ice cream, with little trees and other things sprouting off it.

"There it is over there. What are you doing?" I asked, looking at her curiously. She was holding a crate. "We might need them to catch the crabs. C'mon, help me!"

I walked over and picked up a net. Kim dumped her crate into a boat. It was easily the biggest boat there. I threw the net in.

"Alright, let's go." I said, hopping in the boat. It swayed a little. Kim carried over another crate, another net draped over her arm and got in.

"How do you work it?" I asked, confused.

Kim walked over to me. "Oh, I know how to. My father always used to take me fishing, and he showed me how to work boats." She shouldered past me. I sat down on the crate and dug into my pocket, pulling out the Roster. I glanced over it, and then turned it over. Oh, the rules. I'd forgotten about them. Might as well read them now.

_Rule 1: Under no circumstances should you enter the following rooms, unless explicitly told to do so._

_Inventing Room_

_Secret Recipes_

_Exploding Candy (Safety Reasons)_

_Mechanical Clouds (Until further notice)_

_Abyss_

My eyes lingered on the last one. I hadn't seen that room on the Wonkavator, while searching. Maybe it was like Dessert Island, and you had to take alternative transport to get there. It didn't really seem like the type of thing that should have been in a Chocolate Factory. To be honest, the name looked kind of creepy.

_Rule 2: Have fun!_

I could just imagine the cheesy giggle that accompanied the sentence.

I placed the Roster into my workbag, and looked over to Kim. She looked liked she had everything under control. I rested my chin in my hands, gloomily.

The minutes dragged on, and I felt the wind against my face, which indicated we were gaining speed. Soon, I could smell the sickly sweet smell of dessert. I could guess we weren't far away.

"We're here!" Kim called in a singsong voice after a few minutes. I bit my lip, suddenly nervous. I've always had a somewhat irrational fear of small crawling things. It wasn't exactly a phobia, though. Phobias were more intense.

The island itself was almost as beautiful as the Chocolate Room. It was surprisingly similar, but at the same time completely different.

The palm trees were made out of wafer. Little tufts of 'Swudge' sprang up out of the ground that was made out of ice cream. However, there was not a crab to be seen.

"Where are the crabs?" I asked, mildly bewildered. Some 'Infestation'.

"They must be hiding." Kim said, stepping out of the boat. I glanced back to the island warily, scanning the ground for anything that moved.

"Hurry up!" Kim said, impatient. I reluctantly got out of the boat too, carrying the crate. Kim had set her crate on the ground and put her hands on her hips, gazing around.

"Where are those little bastards?" She muttered, and cried out.

There was a small crab-like thing on Kim's shoe. It scuttled up her sock slightly. She staggered back, trying to kick the thing off. Another two appeared, and in all the commotion I can't really explain properly what happened next. All I remember is the crate I was holding slammed onto my cheek, Kim must have knocked into me whilst trying to get the crab off, and I fell backwards. There was a sharp pain on the back of my head, accompanied by a dull thud. Everything went blank after that.

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

I groaned. Stupid alarm. I felt around for the alarm, only meeting cool, crisp sheets. My eyes flew open, remembering what happened.

I heard a light chuckle from beside me.

"Morning, sleepy head!" Mr. Wonka said cheerfully, leaning forward in his seat.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Oh. Maybe that isn't an alarm.

"Where am I?" I asked, the panic showing in my voice. I sat up quickly, only causing a head rush. My head ached. "Ow.. What happened?"

"Why, you're in the Puppet Hospital and Burns Centre! I figured you'd fit since you're pretty short. You knocked yer little noggin on the boat and passed out."

I sighed, and stared down at my hands. I few seconds of silence went by.

"Do ya feel like resting some more?" Mr. Wonka asked in a nicer tone, seeing my glum expression.

"No." I answered. "Can I go now?"

"Do you feel dizzy?"

"Nope." I lied.

"Should be fine to work, then. Are you hungry?" He asked me.

"No." I actually felt a bit nauseous.

"Good. Would ya mind missing lunch? Because it's just been, and we hafta' keep on schedule! You've got the Bubblegum room with Tim and I, next."

"You?" I asked, slightly confused. It had said on the Roster that I would only be working with Tim.

"Mhm. You to will be helping me with an experiment I've come up with, recently."

"Oh." I looked up from my hands. He had that fake grin plastered on his face again. I wondered idly what a real smile would look on him.

He stood up, picking up his cane that leant against the chair.

"Lets boogie, then!"

* * *

**You know you want that cookie. **


	7. Chapter 7: The Bubblegum Room

**Chapter 7**

**The Bubblegum Room**

**Rating: T (For language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not even a life.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Little Lion Man (Cover)" by Tonight Alice**

**A/N: ****The Red Crayon: Yay! Thank you so much for your reviews and consistency and for taking the time to review again! Here's an e-chocolate bar.**** :3**

**OffMyRocket: Thank youuuu! :D And yes, you can. Here you go. *Gives cookie***

**I've got 88 cookies left to give out… Hint.**

* * *

I got out of the hospital bed, swaying slightly as my feet touched the floor. I realized I was wearing a hospital gown and socks. I wasn't even going to ask how they changed me.

"Just put them on, for now." Mr. Wonka said, pointing to the disposable pair of hospital slippers on the floor, next to the bed. I slipped my feet into them, and trailed after Mr. Wonka, struggling to keep pace with him.

I looked at my surroundings as we were walking. There were hospital beds everywhere, some containing little puppets.

Most of them looked horribly disfigured, their eyes bulging out of their melted sockets. I saw one with a bandage covering its whole head.

I vaguely wondered what had happened to them. I looked over from the beds and down to the gown I was wearing, adjusting it a bit. I looked up after pulling on my gown, too late to see him stop in his tracks and turn to me.

_Thud._

My head bounced off of him as I looked up, and I fell to the ground, hitting my head on the harsh surface. I cursed. His expression turned into a wince.

"You know, I'm going to be in a coma by the end of the day at this rate." I said, my eyes tearing up slightly from the impact to my already injured head.

He hesitantly extended a hand, with an apologetic expression. I ignored it, and helped myself up. He seemed somewhat relieved at my choice.

"Anyway, as I was about to say, why don't you go back to your room, get changed and meet Tim and I at the Bubblegum room. 'Kay?"

"Alright." We walked to the Wonkavator, which was on the other side of the long hospital room.

I pressed the button and the door opened with a ding. I stepped inside and pressed the 'Guest Rooms' button.

"Will I have to finish the job later?" I asked, and staggered as the elevator took off.

"What job?" Mr. Wonka asked, absentmindedly.

Idiot. "The Dessert Island one."

"Oh, probably not." He waved his latex clad hand in the air dismissively. "Those gosh darn crabs have a nasty habit of biting people, and I can't have you fainting again, regardless of how short you are." He said with a smile.

I frowned. "What does my height have to do with fainting? I don't get it."

"Oh. Because Kim carried you... no? Okay. I'll admit defeat on that one. It sounded better in my head, okay?"

I didn't even bother replying. My head throbbed, I was uncomfortable in this hospital gown and it just wasn't worth the effort. After a few seconds, the Wonkavator came to a halt, and the glass doors opened with a ding. I stepped out without a word, and carried on down the hallway to my room, slamming the door shut once I was in.

I rummaged through my suitcase, making a mental note to put my clothes in the drawers, and pulled out the first suitable items of clothing I found, not entirely caring to see if it matched. I didn't know where my uniform was and I didn't want to wear it anyway. I quickly got changed into them, and looked into the mirror opposite my bed, smoothing my hair down. I felt a small bump on my head, and winced in pain. After I'd put my shoes on, I left my room and headed back to the Wonkavator, pressing the 'Bubblegum Room' button. The doors closed with another 'ding', and shot off to its next destination.

When it arrived, I stepped out of the Wonkavator.

Mr. Wonka and Tim were already standing next to a bench, discussing something.

"Oh, hey Alice!" Tim said, looking over to me and waving. I gave a tense smile in response. "How's your head?"

"How do you know about my head?"

"Kim told us at lunch."

"Oh. It's bad." I cast a look at Mr. Wonka. He giggled nervously.

I walked over and stood beside the bench. All the benches in the room were cluttered with stuff, almost like in the Inventing Room. It was weird how cluttered those benches were, and yet it still managed to look completely organized.

"We were just discussing my latest Invention." He picked up a small piece of gum from the bench, and held it up. "'Everlasting flavored, super stretchy, extra sticky gum'! When those despicable copycat candy-making cads stole my recipes, I decided I simply couldn't sell those products anymore. That was over 20 years ago, of course, but it seems like a waste of a recipe I didn't use it, doncha think? So y'know what I did? I combined those recipes, and made this!" He giggled. "Why didn't I think of this before? Alrighty then! Today, you're gunna be testing them out. They come in 42 flavors, so you'll have 21, more or less, to try out. Here, you go first!" Mr. Wonka held out the gumball to Tim. He took it, placed it in his mouth, and started chewing.

"Try to blow a bubble!" Mr. Wonka suggested, with a delighted grin

Tim nodded, and started to blow. The gum inflated, until it was about the size of a basketball. He murmured something that I couldn't understand.

"Keep going!" Mr. Wonka instructed excitedly, gesturing with his hand.

Tim kept blowing, temporarily stopping to take another breath through his nose.

"Holy.." I muttered to myself. I'd never seen a bubble that big before. It was the size of one of those exercise balls, now.

"Neat, isn't it?" Mr. Wonka said to me.

Tim murmured something else, but yet again I couldn't understand.

"Mumbling is a horrid habit, you know." Willy Wonka said.

_Burst!_

The bubble suddenly popped with a loud burst. Fascinated as I was with the inflating gum, I did not move in time. I felt the remnants of the gum weigh down parts of my hair painfully.

In disbelief, I raised my hand and felt the sticky gum with Tim's saliva all over it, _in my hair. _My face contorted in disgust.

"What the fuck?" I snapped. I turned around to glare are Mr. Wonka. He gasped at my choice of language.

"How am I supposed to get _this_," I pointed to my head. "Out of my hair?"

He shrugged. "I guess you could cut it out?" He giggled nervously, and I heard his gloves squeak. "It _is_ extra sticky.. I don't think there'd be any hope of getting it out." He winced.

Not knowing what else to do, I stamped my foot. Tim suppressed a smile.

"I'm not cutting it." I crossed my arms, childishly.

He shrugged. "Then enjoy the lovely smell of rotting saliva and pineapple flavored gum sitting in your hair, collecting bacteria-"

"Fine! Cut my fucking hair then." I yelled at him.

"Now, there's no need for language like that, little girl." Mr. Wonka said.

He flinched under the intensity of my glare.

* * *

"Hello?" Came the answer. I sighed in relief.

"Hey Mom. It's Alice."

"Alice! How are you, honey? How's the factory?" She asked.

"It's horrible." I admitted, pressing the phone harder against my cheek. I was glad to hear a familiar voice.

"What's wrong?" She asked in a worried tone.

"Well, I hurt my head and passed out, I fell over and hurt my head again, and now all my hair is cut off." I ran my hand over my hair, which stopped just under my jawline. I sighed as my hand touched my neck.

"Why?" Mom asked, slightly alarmed now.

"Bubblegum." I said simply.

"Aw, honey. Would you like me to pick you up?" She said.

I laughed. "No. I just needed someone to talk to."

"You sure?"

"Unless you really want to fly to London, then I pretty sure. Well, I should go now. I've got work tomorrow." I said, sourly.

"Ok. I'll talk to you later, Alice! Bye."

"Bye." I hung up, and let my head fall onto my bed with a sigh.

I didn't really know who to blame.

There was myself; for standing too close.

Mr. Wonka; for making the gum in the first place, and encouraging Tim to blow the bubble.

And then there was Tim; for blowing the bubble itself.

I guess I didn't really blame Tim, seeing as though he was told to blow the bubble. I think he tried to give a warning, too.

But I didn't blame Mr. Wonka either. I'll admit that to myself.

In the end, all of it was my fault.

I feel a wave of guilt settle over me, remembering the way I spoke to him in the bubblegum room, and the obscenities I used while the Oompa Loompa cut my beautiful long hair. I remember the tears that threatened to spill as I saw my hair lying dead on the ground. Pretty dramatic over just hair, but I loved it. It was probably the only thing about me I was proud of.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I used to see a confident, outspoken, girl but now, all I saw was a stranger.

There was a timid knock at the door.

"Come in. The door's unlocked." I called, not bothering to get up.

The door squeaked open and a tall figure stepped inside.

Mr. Wonka frowned awkwardly. "I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you or anything." He said in his eccentric voice. He cleared his throat. "I just came to apologize for your er- hair." His gloves squeaked. I sat up.

"Don't worry about it. Now that I think about it, it wasn't your fault, so I'm sorry for screaming at you."

"You do. It looks nice, though."

"What?" I asked, stupidly.

"Your hair."

"Oh. Thanks." I said, the surprise obvious in my voice. There was a moment of silence. "This is awkward."

"It is, indeed. Well, I just came to apologize, and I've apologized, so now that's done, I'd better be off. I've got heaps to do! Bye, now!" He giggled, and turned on his heel and closed the door behind him before I could reply. I heard the tapping of his cane down the hall. It faded into silence.

* * *

**Review or a pack of Mexican Axolotls will eat you in your sleep.**


	8. Chapter 8: Promotion

**Chapter 8**

**Promotion**

**Rated: T**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: Yo, Rohl Dahl and Tim Burton, I'll be borrowing your characters for a while. Don't worry, I'll have them dry-cleaned before I return them.**

**Them song for chapter: "Pretender" By Sarah Jaffe**

**A/N: Thank you to Arcane Wonders! You never fail to put a gigantic smile on my face with your constant reviews. :) And also, my favorite would probably be Tu As Disparu.**

* * *

Before I knew it, it was Sunday. The week passed quickly and by the end of it, you could probably say that I was almost as quiet as Candice. That brief moment of friendliness, or whatever that was, had been forgotten.

I'd learnt to just shut up and ignore any taunts or smirks thrown my way. They weren't all from Mr. Wonka. When Kim and Hayden first saw my short hair, they'd snicker and tell me how much I looked like him, to my embarrassment. I didn't mind them, but the fact that I resembled that freak really irked me. Candice didn't really care, and Tim had stayed with me while it was being cut, so it wasn't anything new to him. On more than I few occasions, I'd look at the scissors sitting in my pencil case and consider cutting my hair again. I hated how straight and uniform and overall perfect it was. It reminded me too much of the factory. Of the Chocolatier himself. I'd come to appreciate imperfection in the past week.

In the end, it just wasn't worth the effort to retort. Mr. Wonka would always manage to come up with some crazy, irrational response, and then convince himself he's right. It was like arguing with a 5 year old child.

* * *

I woke up on Sunday morning to someone knocking on my door.

"One second." I called, groggily, lifting myself out of bed and donning my dressing gown. I walked to the door, attempting to smooth down my hair. Oh, right. My hand clutched at empty air. I opened the door.

"Morning!" Kim said cheerfully.

"Good morning." I replied, rubbing my eyes.

"Well, Tim, Hayden and I are going out to London today. We were wondering if you wanna come?" She asked. Oh right, we didn't have work today. It said on the Roster that we had Wednesdays and Sundays off. Kim and I had planned a trip out on Wednesday, but I backed out at the last minute, unnerved at the small crowd outside the gate.

"Oh, uh, no thanks. I've got a lot of stuff to do." I gestured to the mess behind me. I guess it was true. I really did need to clean my room, but I guess I just wanted some time to myself too.

"Aw, that's okay. Maybe you can come next time." She smiled and walked off down the hall. I closed the door.

After I'd showered, brushed my teeth and got changed, I walked out into the corridor, fiddling with my sleeves as I walked to the elevator. Fiddling with my sleeves was a new habit I had developed. I usually played with my hair, and now that it's all gone I found that my hands had far too much free time.

I pressed the button and the doors opened with I ding. I stepped in, and was just about to press the 'Cafeteria' button, when someone rounded the corner, stopping the doors with a graceful, latex covered hand. I tensed slightly, vaguely wondering what he had been doing on this floor. He smiled at me as he stepped in. I shuffled over to the side, allowing more room between us.

"Morning…" His grin faltered slightly. "Er- What's yer name again?" I suppressed a smile. This was the 5th time he had forgotten my name.

"It's Marsha."

"That's it! I knew it began with Marsh."

"I'm actually kidding. My name is nothing like Marsh. It's Alice." I said, smirking.

"Oh. Right. I knew it began with Ali." He giggled. "Where to?" He asked me.

"I'm going to the Cafeteria." I answered, and pressed the button.

"Mind if I join you?" I looked at him, surprised yet again.

"Okay." I said uncertainly.

The Wonkavator hurtled off to its destination. Mr. Wonka held onto his cane with both hands, smiling pleasantly.

The Wonkavator came to a stop, and the doors swooshed open with a ding. I stepped out, pulling my sleeves down over my hands. I usually did that when I was nervous. I saw with relief that Candice was sitting at one of the tables. God, it would have made it so much more awkward if we were alone. I smiled at her, and went to get my breakfast. I didn't like the way it felt to be watched. Once I'd gotten all that I needed, I sat down at the table. Mr. Wonka sat on the seat opposite me.

"Aren't you getting anything?" I asked skeptically.

"Nope." He answered brightly.

I tried to avert my eyes while nibbling on my piece of toast, feeling horribly self conscious.

"Is there a purpose for this..?" I eventually asked. I felt increasingly nervous.

The fact that he would ask to join me for breakfast, not even eat anything, and just sit there was actually kinda fucked up now that I thought about it.

"Just got bored. So how do you like the factory so far?" He smiled at me expectantly, his purple eyes widening.

"It's nice." I lied. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that I was scared of a building.

"Excellent. And actually, I did have a reason. You forgot this." He reached into his coat and pulled out a black book, putting it on the table and pushing it forward. How the heck he fit the book into his coat was beyond me.

"Oh! My sketchbook." On Friday I had 'Squirrel Watching' by myself. Hayden had it on Tuesday and warned me it was extremely boring and uneventful, and told me that I should bring something to occupy myself. I must have left it behind. I reached forward and pulled it towards me. "Thanks."

"When I found it in the 'Nut Sorting' room, I admit curiosity overcame me. I apologize if it was mean to be private."

Even though I would show total strangers my drawings, I felt kind of embarrassed.

"Don't worry. I show anyone who asks." I mumbled, glancing down.

"Your drawings have a lot of.." Mr. Wonka paused, trying to think of a suitable word. He clicked his fingers. "Spunk! Yeah. Which is why I'm offering you a promotion, of sorts. Do ya think you'll be good at designing candy wrappers?"

"I guess, but I'm-"

"Super!" He cut in. "Meet me in the Inventing Room on Monday. We'll discuss it more, then." He abruptly stood up, grabbing his cane.

"See ya!"

Mr. Wonka walked off quickly, not letting me finish my sentence.

"Not that good." I continued to myself.

I finished my toast silently, blushing. I wasn't quite sure why I was blushing.

* * *

**I apologize if Willy seems out of character. Just imagine him making weird hand gestures and facial movement. He'll be good as new. Works every time.**


	9. Chapter 9: Minusland

**Chapter 9**

**Minusland**

**Rating: T (For language and violence)**

**Warnings: Violence, mild darkness, language**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, which is why I'm currently sitting naked in an Internet café. I'm getting some pretty funny looks, I can tell you.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Ghosts II- 12" By Nine Inch Nails.**

**A/N: xSilentDawnx Thank you! 8D I appreciate that very much. :D *Hand out cookies* **

* * *

I stared at my reflection in the polished window of the empty Cafeteria. My hands clutched the cup tightly, even though the warmth from the coffee has faded. I didn't know what to think of this 'promotion'. I suppose I should be happy, but I just wasn't.

The abrupt ringtone coming from my pocket shocked me out of my stupor, making me jump slightly. I pulled it out, and pressed it to my ear.

"Hello?" I said.

There was silence on the other end.

"Hello?" I repeated, drawing out the word.

"Hannah?" Came a voice.

"No, this is Alice." I answered.

"Oh sorry. I think I got the wrong number. Bye!" She hung up. I put my phone back in my pocket, and stood up, the scrape of the chair echoing throughout the room.

I disposed of my food, and walked into the elevator.

A particular name stood out from the rest. 'Abyss'. Fourth from the right, nestled right in between 'Projection Room' and 'Testing Room'. My brow furrowed. I distinctly remember looking at these two rooms. 'Abyss' had never been there. Maybe there were two elevators, or something. I went back to my room with a sigh.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of my alarm beeping frantically.

With a groan, I lifted myself out of my bed and got ready for work with a sense of dread. I didn't know what to expect. I just hoped I wouldn't fuck up too badly.

I skipped breakfast, and after much procrastinating, I made my way to the Wonkavator. My eyes immediately darted around, searching for 'Abyss'. There was nothing between 'Pastry Room' and 'Projection Room'. I shrugged it off and pressed the 'Inventing Room' button. By now, I was somewhat used to all the sharp turns and drops.

The Wonkavator reached a halt, and I stepped out. We visited this room on the tour, so I was mildly familiar with it. Regardless, it still managed to amaze me. I started humming the theme tune to 'Bill Nye the Science Guy' as I walked towards Mr. Wonka. He turned around, his hair swishing against the collar of his coat. It was purple today. It accented his eyes nicely.

"Top of the mornin' to ya!" He greeted me with a small hand movement.

"Er, top of th- You too." I gave up with returning his greeting in the same manner, and settled with a simpler reply.

"Ready to start?"

"I was born ready. No, I'm kidding. I was born rather.. unready. But please continue."

"Alrighty then. All you hafta' do is make a few drafts of candy wrappers. You'll still be doing other jobs, but not as many. 'Kay?"

"Okay. Is that all?"

"Mhm. Just show me whenever you've finish-" He abruptly cut off mid-sentence and looked down expectantly. A small Oompa Loompa was tugging on his trousers.

He bent down, placing his face near the Oompa Loompas.

His bow furrowed and he began nodding, as the small person whispered something in his ear, his tiny hand covering his mouth.

Mr. Wonka pouted slightly, and straightened up. "Well.. fudge-cakes." He looked at me, almost frowning. He seemed to be making a decision. His eyes moved between me and the bench I was standing next to.

"Come with me, please." He said.

"Why?" I asked.

"C'mon. We mustn't dilly-dally!" He walked into the Wonkavator and frantically gestured for me to get in. I stepped in beside him.

"Did I do something?" I asked, worried.

"No, no. Of course not. Don't get offended, but see, I can't really trust anyone here alone. There's been a terrible accident.." He said nervously, and reached over, pressing a button. The elevator zoomed off immediately.

"What happened?"

"One of my dear Oompa Loompas was bitten by a Gnooly. I just hope we can get there on time.." He was rummaging around in his pockets.

"I would ask what a Gnooly is, but I just realized the last three things I said were all questions."

"All in good time." He said darkly. The elevator started going down. I felt my stomach lurched, and prayed that I would not throw up.

"Ok, I'm really pushing it here, but where are we going?"

"Minusland." He said, and pulled out a small, bright yellow spray-gun thing. "Minusland is a dreadful place inhabited only by Gnoolies, Unborn Souls and Minuses. If a Gnooly bites you, you get turned into one. The process is very long and painful. First, you become subtracted, then divided, and the whole process is very slow. This," He held up the spray gun. "Is the only cure."

"Long multiplication?" I guessed. Don't throw up. Don't throw up. Don't throw up.

"Correct." The elevator turned sharply to the right, then to the left, and then down again. Mr. Wonka giggled. "We're about two hundred thousand feet down already!"

My mouth gaped. As soon as I realized this, I slammed it back shut, not wanting to puke.

I saw strange sights flashing by, all of them passing too quickly for me to notice them. Lights darted around, making shadows on Mr. Wonkas face. I closed my eyes.

It just kept going on and on. I wondered Finally, after what seemed like hours, Mr. Wonka cried out.

"We're here!" I opened my eyes. All around me was… nothing. Inhuman oblivion. It was empty, voice except for the rolling mist that crawled up the sides of the glass elevator like fingers, trying to tap their way in, trying to find a fissure to slip through. It was completely silent, save for my frantic breathing.

Mr. Wonka opened the doors and the mist crawled in, its tendrils wrapping around my legs, crawling up and up. I grabbed onto Mr. Wonkas arm, and felt him stiffen. The Wonkavator was still drifting about in the mist.

"Keep an eye out, would ya? He asked.

"Fine, but what if a… Gnooly comes in? What do they look like?"

"They're invisible. You can't see them."

"Then how do you know when you're bitten?"

"You don't, really. But you'll feel it." He chuckled darkly. I tightened my grip on him.

"You could have just left me there, you know."

"That would be far too silly. For all I know you could be working for Slugworth. I wouldn't dream of letting someone near my precious recipes without my supervision, especially with someone who had taken such a disliking to me." He pouted mockingly.

"Me? No, _you_ took a disliking to _me_."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did _not_!"

"Yeah you did. Right from the first thing I ever said to you!" I looked up at him with pleading eyes. "You hated me from the start."

He ignored me and looked off to his right. I looked around, too, embarrassed. What was that? I looked closer. Something was hovering.. It looked slightly transparent. Was it a Gnooly? No, they were invisible.

"Is that it?" I said, nodding my head towards it.

"Hey, that's it!" He turned around and pressed a few buttons. I was fixated on the thing. We moved towards it. It was the Oompa Loompa, lying horizontally, floating just outside the Wonkavator doors.

"Great! He's only a minus, so far. Now all we have to do…" He held up the spray can, but didn't spray it yet.

Suddenly, there was a loud popping sound, which made us both jump. The Oompa Loompa gasped, and his head twisted at an odd angle. His back distorted, and his legs twisted forward. I screamed, sickened at the grisly sight. His mouth opened in a silent scream. A small stream of translucent blood lazily trickled out. I looked up to Mr. Wonka. I was even more sickened by what I saw. He stood there, mesmerized, his purple eyes glinting with fascination. He made no move to help the Oompa Loompa, and had lowered the Spray- Gun slightly. The Oompa Loompa flailed around in a horrible dance, his limbs twisting and turning.

Don't throw up. Oh god, don't throw up.

"What's happening?" I asked desperately.

"He's being divided." He said, far too calmly. He suddenly blinked, snapping out of his daze, and held up the Spray-Gun again.

He sprayed and there was a horrible cracking sound. It seemed to be coming from the poor Oompa Loompas mouth. It cut off with a gurgle, and his already transparent body faded into nothing.

"Where did he go?"

"Back to where he came from, of course. To the factory!"

"Ok." I said. Mr. Wonka reached out and pressed a button, and the doors swished closed. I realized I had been gripping Mr. Wonkas arm the entire time. I dropped it hastily, taking a deep breath.

I cast my glance down, too unnerved to look at the Chocolatier.

I stepped out of the Wonkavator, into the Inventing Room, thankful to be standing on solid ground once again.

"Alice?" Mr. Wonka said.

"Yeah?" I turned around to him, focusing on the tip of his nose instead of his eyes.

"I'm terribly sorry if you thought I hated you."

"Don't be."

"Yes, you're annoying, weird, funny looking, short, you talk too much and you have the brain the size of a peanut, but I don't hate you. Actually, sometimes I do, but don't take it too personally. 'Kay? I hope I can get over my intense hatred towards you, because you're not that bad, really."

"Thanks." I said sarcastically.

* * *

**(A/N: Hello! Here's the next chapter. I'm not sure how this chapter would sound like to someone who hasn't read the book before 'Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator'. So, not to insult your intelligence or anything, if it sounds really weird then read the book. Anyways, it seems as if Mr. Wonka's true colors are finally starting to come out)**


	10. Chapter 10: Knives and Faces

**Chapter 10**

**Knives and Faces**

**Rating: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language, Violence**

**Disclaimer: Ownership, by any other name, would still not be mine. **

**Theme song for chapter: "End Title Suite" By James Howard Newton (The Happening Soundtrack) **

**A/N: :') You reviewers are awesome. I'm up to 20 again already.**

* * *

_I could feel the air being sucked out from my body, the atmosphere becoming tighter and tighter. I struggled out from under the blanket covers, racing to the window. I pounded against the freezing glass until my fingers felt scrape on the window latches. With one swift movement I flicked them to the side and opened the window with all the strength left in my body. I immediately gasped for air. My lung burned as I inhaled what I thought was Oxygen. The grey mist slithered in through my window, wrapping its tendrils around my hand, crawling up my arm, gripping me. It slid down my throat, filling my lungs with its poison. My flesh sizzled and disintegrated where it touched me. I attempted to scream, but there was so breath left in my lungs. All that came out was a dreadful cracking sound. I felt my arm twist._

* * *

I saw bolt upright in my bed, gasping for air once again, sucking in all that I could take and gasping it back out. Once I'd managed to grasp that it was just a dream, I let my head fall into my hands, breathing out heavily. My hands were clammy.

I risked a glance at the window. It sat there, normal as ever, the delicate frost laced softly around the edges. Outside was pitch black, dotted lightly with the lights from the stars and the streetlights. I sighed in relief. It was just a dream. There was no grey mist. Calm down.

Even though I knew it wasn't real, my heart was still beating hyperactively. I felt a few beads of moisture slide down the side of my forehead.

I threw off my covers, dawdling into the bathroom and turning on the tap. I put my hands under the stream of water, letting it pool up slightly in my palms, and splashed it over my face. Shivering from the icy water, I repeated the process a few times.

_Thump._

I jumped violently, grabbing the nearest thing I could reach. I wasn't entirely sure why I did that. Maybe I intended to use a tube of toothpaste as a weapon. Who knows?

I soon realized that my bottle of shampoo had fallen out of the shampoo rack. I exhaled heavily, still gripping the toothpaste tightly. The lid popped open a bit from the pressure.

Now that I'd calmed down somewhat, I realized that I was kind of thirsty. I vaguely went over the rules we were told in my head, and confirmed that there weren't any that prohibited us from visiting the cafeteria at night. I think the thirst was more of a guise. I really just wanted to get out of the room. I looked at the time and saw it was 4am.

I donned the slippers next to my bed, and walked out of my room, closing the door as quietly as I could. I walked to the Wonkavator, wincing at the abrupt 'Ding' that rang out through the silent corridor. I paused for a second, listening for any sound of disruption. Everything was silent. I climbed in the Wonkavator and pressed the 'Cafeteria' button. The Wonkavator sped off towards the room.

I stepped out of the Elevator, walking over to water dispenser, while wrapping my arms around my torso. I heard the light drizzle of rain outside, accompanied with the echoing howls of the wind, blowing against the factory. It was strangely comforting. The luminous moonlight streamed in through the window, providing a sufficient amount of light so that I didn't need to turn the light on.

I got a cup and held it under the dispenser, pressing the 'Cold water' button and watching the stream of water pour into the cup with a mechanical whirring noise. I realized with slight amusement that I had brought the tube of toothpaste with me.

I took my finger off the button when the cup was full and pulled out a chair.

_BANG!_

I screamed at the sudden noise coming from under the table to the right, jumping, and spilling the water down the front of my shirt.

"Ow.." A voice moaned.

I screamed again, staggering back.

A chair scraped back and a figure stood up, hunched slightly. Once my eyes adjusted, I saw who it was.

"Kim?" I asked, pressing a hand to my chest, trying to control my breathing.

"Sup." Kim rubbed her head.

"Holy shit. Don't do that." I exhaled heavily and slammed the cup down on the table, wiping the water that had gone on my face.

"What were you _doing_," I pointed to the table. "Under there? You made me spill my drink!"

She giggled. "I left my phone here at dinner." She answered simply.

"So you decide to look for it at 4am?" I asked sarcastically, attempting to wring out my soaked shirt. I was so glad that I decided to wear a singlet under my pajama top tonight. The material of my pajama top was light blue, and very thin.

"Pretty much. Long story; I left the window open this morning, and I woke up from the cold. Then I went to check the time on my phone, and I realized it wasn't there, so I came to look for it. What are _you _doing up?" She crossed her arms and gave me a pointed look. "And.. why are you holding a tube of toothpaste?"

"I couldn't sleep." I replied with a shiver. The cold water had soaked through my clothes, chilling me.

I think Kim took my shiver for something else. She wasn't far off though.

"Bad dream?" She asked.

"Yep." I pulled my sleeves over my hands.

She shrugged, and started rummaging through the cupboards.

"I doubt your phone will be in there." I pointed out.

"Fair enough. Ooh, Oreos!" She pulled out a packet and placed them on the counter.

"Maybe someone found it and gave it to lost property or something." I suggested.

"A lost property? In this place?"

"Who knows? There are so many rooms in this factory. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a Walmart somewhere in here." She moved to the cupboard under the counter.

"You have a good point." Kim murmured. She stood up, and faced me.

"I'll ask if anyone's seen it tomorrow." She concluded.

"Today." I corrected.

"Oh yeah. Do you know the time, by the way?"

"Yeah, it's around 4." I said.

She nodded, and opened the packet of Oreos, picking one out and nibbling on it.

"Want one?" She asked, her voice muffled by the biscuit, offering the packet. I shook my head.

"No thanks." I replied with a polite smile.

She suddenly grinned mischievously. "Want to play a prank?"

"What type of prank?"

"Have you ever heard of the Oreo prank? It's when you take out the middle of an Oreo, and replace it with toothpaste, which you have so faithfully provided."

I laughed. "Ew. Sounds fun."

Kim pulled out a butter knife and a plate from the drawer and placed them on the counter.

I emptied the packet of Oreos onto the plate.

"You go first." I suggested, passing her the tube of toothpaste. It was slightly indented from where I had squeezed it.

She twisted open the Oreo, and scraped out the inside, wiping the knife onto the edge of the plate. She then flipped open the toothpaste cap and squeezed some out onto the Oreo, placing the top of the Oreo back on. I giggled.

We did this to all of the Oreos before standing back, admiring our work.

"They look good." I said approvingly, once I had wiped the remnants of the Oreos off of the plate. I absentmindedly flipped the half empty tube of toothpaste around in my hand.

"They sure do." She agreed. "Now all we need to do is to do is wai-"

_Ding._

I whipped my head around to the source of the sound, with a small gasp. Someone stepped out of the Wonkavator. I couldn't see it well in this light.

_Please let it not be Mr. Wonka. Please let it not be Mr. Wonka._

The person flicked the light switch on.

"Kim! Alice! Whatta're ya doing up at this hour?" Mr. Wonka said brightly. He was fully dressed, to my surprise. His face then turned uncertain. "..Why is your shirt covered in water?"

I quickly moved my hand behind my back, hoping I was in time so that he didn't see the toothpaste.

"Wet dreams." Kim answered for me.

"Kim was looking for her phone." I explained in a more sensible manner, punching her arm lighting with me free hand.

"It might be in the Lost and Found." Mr. Wonka suggested.

"I told you." I grinned at Kim.

She rolled her eyes. "What are you doing up at this hour?" She countered.

His smile froze very subtly. His magnificent purple gaze turned somewhat defensive.

"Oh, nothin'. Just looking for something." He said casually. "Ooh Oreos!" Mr. Wonka said in childish delight, picking one up in his gloved hand.

"Oh crap," I accidently said aloud. "Uh- You shouldn't eat tha- Okay, just.." I trailed off in dismay. Mr. Wonka took a bite from the Oreo. Kim winced.

A tense moment passed while we waited for his face to screw up in disgust.

"Wasn't that just scrumptious." He remarked appreciatively.

I frowned in confusion.

"You do realize we put toothpaste in the Oreos, right?" I asked.

"I sure do." He smiled.

"Ew." Kim and I said in unison.

"How else do ya' think my teeth stay so white?" He deliberately grinned wider.

"How can you stand the taste?" Kim asked, making a face.

"How can you-"

_Ding._

I spun around, seeing the Wonkavator doors swing open with a whoosh. Tim stepped out, rustling his hand through his sandy blonde hair. He looked groggy.

"Hey guys." He said casually, as if it was the most normal thing to be standing in a Cafeteria at 4 in the morning with your boss, holding a tube of toothpaste, your shirt drenched and a plate of Oreos on the counter.

"Why don't we go and wake Hayden and Candice up now? Heck, let's throw Charlie and his parents in while we're at it. Let's have a party." Kim laughed.

Tim walked over to the counter, grabbed a cup and filled it with water from the dispenser with a yawn.

"Ooh Oreos!" He said, picking one up. "Blegh!" He exclaimed after taking a bite, putting the rest of the biscuit back onto the plate. I laughed loudly. He chugged back his glass of water.

"Right, then. Well, I'm going to go before everyone wakes up. Night! Well, technically 'Morning' but you get the message." I said quickly, turning back to the Wonkavator.

My alarm rang out through the silence of my room, startling me back into reality. I closed my novel, making a mental note of the page I was up to.

I didn't go back to sleep when I got back to my room. I was still on edge, and I'd probably oversleep and be late for work anyway.

* * *

I got up off my bed with a yawn, and began going through my morning routine.

Once I had brushed my teeth, done my hair and donned my clothes, and walked over to my mirror opposite my bed, buttoning up my coat. It was a red coat, that didn't match my uniform at all. I didn't really care how ridiculous I looked at the moment. Despite the heating that ran 24/7, the piercing, bitter cold from the outside world still managed to seep into the walls of the factory and pollute it's paradise.

That, or I probably just left my window open again.

I held my curtains to the side, checking the window. It was closed. Maybe I'd just come down with the flu or something.

While I buttoned up my coat, I gazed at the timetable that I had taped to the right corner of my mirror.

I had Candy Wrapper Design with Mr. Wonka first. I winced inwardly, hoping that today wouldn't be like yesterday. I was half dreading going back to school after this was over. I didn't want to do any more 'division', if you get my drift.

After that, I had to clean the 'Shawaknow', with Hayden. I wondered vaguely what the fuck that was.

I adjusted a few strands of hair in the mirror, biting my lip nervously.

After a moments of procrastination, I grabbed my workbag and headed to the Cafeteria.

I stepped out of the Wonkavator to be greeted by Tim and Hayden, who were sitting at one of the tables with Candice. Judging by the uncomfortable look on her face, I assumed they had invited her over. That was nice. I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter, not bothering to get a proper breakfast.

"Hi, all." I said, sliding out a chair and sitting down.

"Hey, Alice. Have you seen Kim by any chance?" Hayden asked.

"Nope. Why?" I responded.

"We're supposed to be doing the next job together. I can't find her." He stated.

"Oh, she might be looking for her phone in Lost Property, or something." I offered.

"They have one of those here?" He asked through a mouthful.

After a few minutes of chatter, and I had finished my apple, I stood up, excusing myself. I walked to the elevator, and pressed the 'Inventing Room' button. The doors closed shut with a swish, and the elevator sped off, turning this way and that, until it finally arrived at the Inventing Room. I stepped out, rummaging through my workbag to see if I packed my mints.

"Oh, hey Alice." Came a surprised voice from directly in front of me.

I looked up, and realized with slight surprise that it was Kim. I became aware of the fact that I was standing directly in front of the Wonkavator doors, and moved to the side, so that she could get past.

"Nice coat." She added smugly.

"Hello." I responded to her. She paused for a second, looking at me, before stepping into the Elevator and speeding off to wherever she was going.

I shrugged it off. She was probably looking for the lost and found, or something.

I realized that apart from myself, the room was empty. The only sound that could be heard was the mechanical pumping of machines, and the occasional 'Squelch!'.

"Hello?" I called.

There was no reply. After a few minutes, I gave up and went to turn back to the Wonkavator.

Ding.

I gasped at the abrupt sound. Mr. Wonka and Charlie stepped out.

"Morning!" Charlie chirped brightly, standing close by his mentor's side. I greeted him back, smiling. I wondered why he wasn't at school. It was Tuesday.

"Good Morning, Mr. Wonka." I greeted him too.

"Lovely morning, isn't it?" He commented.

"Terrific." I replied sarcastically, given that I was practically shivering in my boots.

"Alright then, shall we get to work? So much time, so litte to do! Wait, strike that. Reverse it." Charlie giggled slightly. Mr. Wonka reached into his coat, it was purple today, and pulled out a few sheets of paper.

"Since we didn't have the chance to go over anything yesterday," He frowned slightly, but resumed his smile after a small moment.

"I'll just go over everything now. All yer' have to do is create a design for these three items." He pointed to the pictures of the paper. "I only need drafts and sketches at this point, and once you're finished, just show 'em to me."

"Is there anything in particular you want me to incorporate into the design?"

"Nope, not really. Just be sure to make it look snazzy."

I nodded, ignoring his awkward speech pattern. "Okay. Where do I work?"

"Anywhere you want. You can even go back to your room if you want."

"Great! Oh, when is this due by the way?" I asked. I was suddenly reminded of school. I wondered how my friends were.

"Whenever you're finished."

"I wish my teachers were like that." I said wistfully, taking the sheet from him.

* * *

I packed away my pencils, putting them back in my case, getting ready for lunch. I took of my dressing gown, which I had donned once I'd gotten back to my room.

Once I checked my appearance, I went down to the Cafeteria. It was empty. I must be a few minutes early or something.

I took my time deciding what I would have for lunch. Without the heating and the dressing gown, I was already cold. I decided on soup.

Kim soon arrived, followed by Candice, and then Tim and Hayden.

I sat at their table. Tim invited Candice over again.

"So how was your day?" Hayden asked me, nibbling on his sandwich.

"Uneventful. I basically sat in my room and drew. I'm actually debating whether he demoted me."

He grinned. "Well, it's better than recording the heart rate of a puppet."

I coughed. "True." I said, before sipping on my soup.

"Are you okay?" He asked me. "You look a little sick."

"I'm fine, thanks. Why?"

"Your lips look a little blue." He said with a worried expression.

"Really? It's probably just the cold." I rationalized.

He gave me a confused look. "It isn't cold. You sure you're okay? Come to mention it, you're looking very pale."

"I'm always pale," I pointed out. "And I'm not throwing up or having a seizure, so I guess that means I'm perfectly fine."

"If you say so." He concluded uncertainly.

I ate, or drank, the rest of my lunch quietly, and went off with Hayden to our next job once he was finished with his lunch.

* * *

The rain fell down in a rhythmic and hushed downpour, tapping on the thick glass window that separated me from the outside world. The curtains swayed ever so slightly, despite the window being closed. There must be a draft somewhere.

I ran the brush through my damp hair, before flicking off the light and climbing into bed.

Lightening flashed outside, illuminating my room for a brief moment.

I could hear the low rumbling of the thunder, pulsating sounds of rage, saturating the sky around.

Weary from today's work, I began to doze off almost immediately, only to be jolted awake by another abrupt crash of thunder, causing my heart to stutter.

I lay in my bed, looking at my surroundings. My eyes moved from nameless object to nameless object, until they reached the mirror sitting adjacent to my bed. I began to drift off again. My train of thought began to wander off in different directions.

Suddenly, lightening flashed yet again. The room flickered in illumination.

I could have sworn I saw faces in the mirror.

But I was too far gone to dwell on it.

My eyes closed, and I fell into a sleep, lulled by the hushed downpour.

* * *

I lay in my bed, shivering, not wanting to get up, but at the same time wanting to be rid or this room. And the factory, really. I realized I hadn't been outside in ages. It was my day off today, so I figured I'd go out.

Reluctantly, I got up. The shivering immediately intensified. I quickly got changed, layering on the clothes, and turning up the heating in my room. I put a hat, gloves and a scarf on too.

I also took the mirror down, stuffing it in the wardrobe, and closing the door tight.

After shoving a few things of importance in my handbag, I left my room.

I went immediately down to the Main Hall, not bothering about breakfast. I'd get some when I was out. I quickly pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. It was 9:34.

I parted the crimson curtains that cascaded gracefully from the ceiling, and stepped into the darkness. Light streamed in from under the curtains, faintly illuminating the faces of the puppets that were stuck to the colorful backboards, their skin like patchwork. I tiptoed past them, as if not to disturb them, and hesitantly unlocked the deadbolt of the massive metal door, and slid it open. I stepped out into the freezing cold, closing the door behind me. It took a lot of effort, considering my size, but they were on sliders. The icy air blew against my cheeks, numbing and reddening them. I was shaking violently, but I didn't care. I'd forgotten what fresh air was like. Pure, untainted air, unspoiled by the sickly sweet scent of candy. I inhaled deeply, savoring it, and set off towards the huge gates. I tripped on the stairs, but managed to regain my balance.

I dug into my bag, reaching around for my card. It had come in the workbag.

I walked over to on of the smaller gates to the side, and swiped my card in the lock. It swung open with a small click and I stepped outside, closing it behind me.

As soon as I stepped outside those gates, it felt like a weight had lifted off of my shoulders. I set off down the street, wondering where I should go.

I'd walked about 4 blocks when I came across a Café. I pushed open the door, my teeth chattering. The little bell on the door rang out.

Thankfully, it was warm in here. It smelt amazing, too. It reminded me of the little bakery my mother used to work in. After school, I would always go there. She didn't like me home alone, since my father was working too. Sometimes, on very rare occasions, she'd let me be the Cashier, but I mainly just wiped down the tables. She had to quit her job when my father died. Working in a bakery wasn't enough to support us both, with him gone.

I took off my hat and scarf, stuffing them into my bag, and walked to the counter.

There was a man waiting at the counter, and a middle aged woman sitting at one of the tables. I guessed that this Café was pretty popular.

I waited behind the man patiently, trying to decide what I was going to have.

I looked at the menu. The selections were pretty limited, and there wasn't anything I liked.

"That'll be £2.50." The old woman at the counter said kindly to the man. Her voice was very high, but shook slightly.

The man put a few coins on the counter, grabbing his cup.

"Thanks." He said. I noticed that he had an American accent, like me.

He went and sat down at a table. I moved forward. The woman smiled at me, her eyes crinkling.

"How can I help you, dear?" She asked.

"Can I please get a…" I paused for a moment, deciding. "A regular Latte?"

"Take away?"

I thought about it for a second. Well, I guess I didn't really have anywhere else to go. "No thanks."

"Sugar?"

"No thank you." I smiled.

"That's £2.50."

I paid her and sat down at the nearest table, absentmindedly staring at the newspaper on the table until she set the coffee down on the table.

I thanked her and sipped on my coffee, seeing how hot it was. It wasn't too hot so I went ahead and took another sip. Warmness coursed through my mouth, and down the throat. I shivered.

I heard a chair scrape across from me and looked up in surprise. It was the man who I had just been standing behind.

My expression of surprise turned into one of recognition.

Hey! Alice, right? Remember me?" He asked, smiling.

"Oh! John!" I remembered him from the flight to London.

"Fancy seeing you here! You look so different. I almost didn't recognize you. I kept thinking you looked familiar."

"Yeah, I just didn't recognize you at all." I said truthfully.

He laughed. "How have you been?" He asked. "You don't mind if I sit here, do you?"

"Not at all. I've been pretty good, thanks. Besides my hair being sheared off. How about you?"

"It looks great. I've been alright. So what have you been up to?"

"Mainly work." I answered, taking a sip from my coffee. "You?"

"I've been looking after my Aunt. She had a stroke a few weeks back. I'm pretty much the only family she has left. She had no children, and my mother actually passed away years ago."

"I'm so sorry. For both your Aunt and your Mother. How are you coping?"

"Thank you. I'm doing well, so far."

I nodded, not quite knowing what to say next.

We sat in silence for a moment. "Oh, so where do you work again?" He asked politely, eager to continue conversation.

"Oh, just up the street.." I answered vaguely. "Well, I'm not even sure if it's technically considered work."

"You're not a street walker, are you?"

I laughed. "God no. No, I'm on a Student Program at the Chocolate Factory. I get to work there for 2 months."

"Shit. Are you serious? Have you met Willy Wonka yet?"

"Yes." I said. "He's a freak." I added jokingly.

"Really? How so?"

"The way he dresses, his personality, his hair, every aspect about him. But I suppose he's kind of nice, in an odd way. Sometimes. Not really. Never mind. He's the reason behind this." I pointed to my head.

"Sorry, last question for today. I feel like I'm interrogating you. What's the Factory like?" He asked in fascination.

"It's like a Labyrinth. There are so many rooms, and rooms within rooms. Even though it looks humungous on the outside, it's only the tip of the iceberg. Literally. It goes underground." I don't think he knew just how 'Underground' it went.

"You're so lucky to work there. I take it this is your day off? Sorry, there I go again."

"Thankfully, yes." I smiled.

"I'm going to attempt to put this into a statement. Okay, I was wondering if you were doing anything today."

I giggled. "Not that I'm aware of."

"Great. I am- It i- Oh, I give up. Would you like to go somewhere today, with me? I mean, you don't have to. You've probably got better stuff to d-"

I grinned, cutting in. "Shut up. I'd love to."

* * *

We arrived at the gates once again. It was still light, but the clouds were slightly illuminated with an orange glow, suggesting that night would soon fall.

"It was nice catching up with you." I said, trying my hardest to keep my voice from shaking. What I would give to be under the covers in bed right now.

"The pleasure's all mine." He tipped his imaginary hat, with a wink.

I laughed, lightly punching his arm.

"Well, I should be going. I'll catch you later!" He said after a while.

I said goodbye, and he walked off in the opposite direction.

I rummaged around in my bag, and swiped my card in the lock. The small gate creaked open a tad, and I pushed it open, walking into the empty courtyard. A gust of wind blew slightly, making my hair whip around my face. Somehow, I managed to make it up the steps, and I opened the huge door. Too weak to open it more than a crack, I turned on my side and squeezed through. The beautiful heated air hit me, and I sighed in relief. I nudged the door shut, pushing down the deadlock and continued to the hallway, passing the puppets again.

I parted the long, crimson curtain to the side, and walked down to the Wonkavator. My steps echoed throughout the hallway. _Tap. Tap. Tap._

* * *

The Elevator doors opened, and I stepped in and pressed the 'Cafeteria' button, wanting to get a hot coffee or something. It zoomed off towards the room.

Soon I arrived. Tim and Hayden sat at the table, sword-fighting with kitchen knives.

"Hey!" I greeted them, chucking lightly at their childish ways.

"Good Even', fair maiden." Tim called out mockingly, the use of his language contrasting awkwardly with his American accent.

"Like a sir." Hayden commented.

I pressed the 'Latte' button on the coffee machine, and leant against the counter, waiting.

I made small talk about my day while I waited for my coffee. Once it was done, I sat down near them. I didn't really want to sit on the same table as them. Not everyone wants to get stabbed, you know.

"You know, you should probably put those away before you poke someone's eye out. Or liver." With that, Tim's knife clattered noisily to the floor as he lost his grip on the handle.

"Victory is mine." Hayden joked. I stood up from my chair and picked the knife of the ground, turning around to put it back on the counter.

I heard Hayden say something about a coat, but I didn't quite catch it. I looked over my shoulder while still walking to the counter.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, my frame jolted as my arm collided with one of the red pillars that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. I momentarily lost balance, and swayed, in the process tripping over my bootlace.

I fell forward, and cried out as my forehead met the cold marble floor.

And then I felt the rip.

The rip of fabric and skin.

The metal sliced through my skin with little effort and dug straight into my stomach. After a second of heart-pounding, head-throbbing disbelief, I squealed out in pain, feeling the full effect of this knife.

A searing pain burned up my side, consuming me in agony and making my mind go blank.

Besides the pain, nerves were starting to rise in me. Would I make it out of this alive?

I heard a cry of realization, and a scurry of footsteps. I felt a hand on my shoulder, turning me over. I cried out in pain as the knife jerked inside of me with the sudden movement. My vision blurred as tears lined my eyes, I gasped for breath, my mouth open in a wide 'o'.

I heard voices shouting, but couldn't distinguish the words. The pain flared once again, as I was lifted up. I cried out in agony, trying to form the word 'stop'. I felt my top begin to soak with all of the blood, but I daren't look.

Spots of black blurred my vision, and then I let the darkness consume me.

* * *

**Review! These freshly bakes e-cookies need a good home to go to!**


	11. Chapter 11: Hospital

**Chapter 11**

**Hospital**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language, Violence**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it, I admit it, you can't sue. If you do, I'll just plead insanity, my stories will back me up.**

**Theme song for chapter: "The Ellie Badge" By Michael Giacchino **

**A/N: OffMyRocket: For some reason, that comment you left on Chapter 8 made me giggle like mad, even though it was completely irrelevant and probably not even meant to be funny. **

**Arcane Wonders: Agreed :) **

**xSilentDawnx: I think that math is incredibly stupid. I wish it'd stop trying to find it's 'x' and move on.**

**Ba dum tss. *Stolen from somewhere I can't remember***

* * *

I slowly regained consciousness, the constant beeping finally breaking through my deep slumber.

I lay there for a few moments, eyes closed, head pounding, wondering why my body felt completely numb.

After a while, I slowly opened my eyes.

With a start, I noticed a UV attached to my arm, and various cords around me.

A stiff white sheet covered me. My torso throbbed painfully under the linen, but the feeling was slightly deadened. Numb, almost.

There was a curtain that surrounded the right side of my bed, and directly in front of me, obscuring everything else from view. To my left, there was a simple wall with a window. The blinds were half closed, but I could see that it was dark outside.

The lights were off, but the brightness from the hallway filtered through the curtain.

For a while I just lay there, listening to my own breathing, trying to avoid the thought that tapped around the edges of my mind. Trying to avoid the realization of why I was here.

After what seemed like ages, I heard two voices conversing in the corridor outside my room. I couldn't quite catch the words yet, but I could make out a male and a female. The male seemed concerned. The voices soon became closer, their words more distinctive. I thought one voice seemed awfully familiar.

I saw the silhouette of a tall figure against the curtain, and a shorter one next to it.

"..How long will she be in here?" The male voice asked.

"Two weeks at the very minimum. Fortunately, the stab wound wasn't too serious, and was a fairly clean cut. There may be some long term effects, but I'll go into them later."

They quietly exchanged a few more words, but I couldn't hear them.

The tall figure stepped forward into the room, and I heard a tapping. I snapped my eyes closed. The curtain rustled loudly as it parted open. I heard him walk to my bedside, with a slight squeaking of gloves.

He just stood there. I couldn't hear anything, except the beating of my own heart, and the breathing I was trying to keep even. I soon began to wonder if I had dozed off and he'd left. I began to debate if I should 'wake up'. How would I do it? How the heck does someone even wake up? I should know this. I've done it almost everyday of my life. Do I just open my eyes? No, that can't be. Maybe I should move around a bit first. I know, I'll-

I heard a rustle of fabric, and tensed slightly. I held my breath as I felt a latex clad hand brush gently against my cheek.

And then he left.


	12. Chapter 12: Stuck

**Chapter 12**

**Stuck**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: Please don't sue. I spent all my money on a copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. **

**Theme song for chapter: "Evelyn" By Goldmund**

**A/N: I very much appreciate reviews! Tell me if you liked this chapter. Heck, I'd even appreciate it if you told me you hated it. The point is, I love reviews. No matter what nature they are. Nice ones encourage me to write, to post the chapters faster and generally make me feel fucking euphoric and criticism motivates me to improve, helps me to pinpoint errors in my story.**

* * *

The next two weeks were pretty mundane, apart from the pain, injections, and occasional screaming from the corridor.

Mr. Wonka didn't visit me again. Actually, that's not entirely true. He visited me the day after the accident, but it was just to tell me that he had informed my mother about the accident and to ask if I was willing to come back to the Factory when I was discharged from the hospital. He left abruptly after I gave him my answer, which was yes.

Kim came to visit almost daily, after work hours and on her days off, which I was immensely grateful for. She brought movies and her laptop to watch them on, and bags full of candy she got from the factory. I noticed my design on one of the bars.

Even John visited sometimes, and he brought me flowers every time. Where he got them in the dead of Winter, I would never know.

* * *

I parted the red curtain that fell from the ceiling, breathing in the familiar smell of what now felt like home, in a way. Kim walked ahead of me, carrying my bags. She'd insisted that I was still to weak to really do anything. It was around 7:30pm, and it was already dark outside.

I went to my room, and thanked Kim, saying that I just needed a few moments of rest. She agreed, and hurried off excitedly. I assumed that she was going to tell the others that I was back, since they weren't already aware that I was released two days earlier than expected.

I carefully sat down on my bed, wincing slightly at the jab of pain in my abdomen.

I just sat there, staring off into space for who knows how long.

I jumped at the abrupt knock on my door, snapping out of my stupor. Kim was back already?

"Come in. The door's unlocked." I called, irritated.

I heard the doorknob turn, but the movement was restricted.

"Crap, sorry. Turns out it is locked. Hang on." I laughed a bit. I pulled myself up and unlocked the door, opening it.

But, needless to say, it wasn't Kim. I think we can all guess who it was.

"Oh, Candice! I wasn't expecting you."

Just kidding.

"I was just coming to see how you were doing." She said with a shy smile. "How is your injury?"

"It's great." I said, kind of shocked. She never talked to anyone, really. "I mean, obviously it isn't. I was stabbed, haha. But I'm getting there. I'll shut up now, seeing as though I'm making no sense whatsoever."

She chuckled. "It seems you've had a lot of bad luck since coming to the factory." She said, looking at my short hair.

I nodded in mock sadness. "I have, indeed."

She paused. "Actually, there was something else I had to tell you."

"Go on."

"Well since the accident, Mr. Wonka hasn't really been that 'social'. By that, I mean I've seen him twice in two weeks." She explained.

"Oh." I said, my brow furrowing.

"We think it might have something to do with you. I don't know, he might be feeling bad for everything that's happened, and maybe you could talk to him. After all, you seem to be closer to him than anyone else, or at least more in his 'good books', because of the promotion."

I paused for a moment, absorbing the information.

"Right. Damn, I wonder what's wrong. I don't- It doesn't seem like he'd feel sorry for me, though. He doesn't exactly like me, and none of those things were his fault, but I'll talk to him."

Candice smiled.

"Thanks. Well, I hope you're feeling better."

"Thanks, Candice."

She nodded, and walked off down the corridor. I closed the door behind her.

I vaguely wondered if she meant for me to go and talk to him right now, or whenever I'm ready. I contemplated that for a moment, but decided I'd see him tomorrow or something. After all, I had a day off tomorrow anyway.

* * *

I closed my bedroom door behind me, and went to the Wonkavator. I was kind of dreading confronting Mr. Wonka, but I might as well get it over with. I pulled my coat tighter around me, shivering.

Just as I was about to press a button, I heard footsteps ring out through the corridor, along with the rhythmic tapping of a cane against marble.

I poked my head out to see if it was Mr. Wonka, and to my luck it was.

He tucked the pocket watch he was looking at into his coat and looked up, just in time to see me.

He made a face, and turned without hesitation in the opposite direction.

"Mr. Wonka!" I yelled, walking up to him.

I thought I heard him mutter something under his breath, and he turned around with a bright grin.

"Alice! What a surprise to see you here."

"What are you talking about? You saw me and walked away." I accused.

"So you noticed that."

"So.. what's up with you?" It felt weird, talking in such a casual manner to someone so… famous, I guess.

He looked up. "The ceiling."

"No, apparently you've been acting weirdly the past two weeks."

"I have?"

"According to Candice." I said. "She said that her and the others thought it was because you… felt bad for me? Personally, you've always seemed rather indifferent so I don't really believe it. No offense. But, they wanted me to talk to you and I did. So there."

"You stabbed yourself." He said.

"You don't say."

"Of course I feel _bad_ for you. But you're right, that isn't the reason why I was 'acting weirdly' as you put it. In fact, it has nothing to do with you."

"Oh _goody_. Well, now that that's over and done with, I'm going to go." I decided not to pursue the subject of what else he was involved with. Probably business or something.

He noticed my coat and my bag. "Are ya going out already?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure you feel up to it? You just got out of hospital, I'm not entirely sure if it's safe for you to be going anywhere, especially alone."

"I'm not going alone."

"Who are you going with?"

"Oh, my friend John. I organized something with him while I was in hospital." I explained, somewhat embarrassed.

"Ah." He smiled. "Well then, I'm not gunna keep you waiting forever. See ya!"

He walked past me into the Wonkavator, and I followed him into it.

"Well, this is awkward." He pressed a button.

"It is. I hate it when you say goodbye to someone, and then you walk in the same direction." I pressed a button too. The Wonkavator swished off, and stopped at the inventing room. Mr. Wonka stepped out without a word.

The doors closed with a loud 'Ding' and it zoomed off again.

* * *

I tucked the books I borrowed from the library into my bag and walked outside with John. It was getting late, and the sun had almost begun to set.

John looked at his watch. "So I should probably be off, now. My Aunt will be wondering where I am. Will you be okay getting back?" He looked at me anxiously.

"Yeah, I'll be perfectly fine." I assured him. I really wasn't as weak as everyone thought I was. "I should go too, I have work tomorrow. That is if I'm allowed to work. Anywho, it was fun reading with you."

"You too. Well, I'll see you! Text me if you want to do something another time." He smiled.

"Thanks, I will. Bye!" I set off down the street, John walking in the opposite direction.

My teeth were chattering as I walked past the rows of identical houses. It was freezing, but the setting sun cast an orange glow over the monochromatic city, creating the illusion of warmth. It was beautiful.

I kept walking until I reached the traffic lights, and I pressed the button and waited for the light to turn red. The traffic had died down somewhat, but not completely. There were still a few cars on the road. I rubbed my hands together while I waited. There was the sound of rapid, thumping footsteps from behind me, and I didn't turn around until I felt a forceful tug on my arm. I screamed and yanked myself back.

The man was wearing a dirty red plait shirt, jeans and a baseball cap that hid his eyes in shadow.

"Give me your bag!" He yelled aggressively.

"No!" I retorted automatically.

"Give me you fuckin' bag!" He yelled again, more forcefully.

He snatched the bag from my grip, but I immediately went to pull it back out of his clutches.

He raised his fist and caught me on my jaw. I screamed and fell onto the pavement, losing grip of my bag. He kicked me in the gut and ran off down the street. I felt a fierce slash of pain in my abdomen, and struggled for air. After I'd caught my breath, I sat up with much effort.

"Fuck!" I yelled out at no one in particular. I put my face in my hands.

After some of the pain in my stomach had eased, I got up and pressed the button again. I guess there wasn't really anything I could do, except go back to the factory. It'll be impossible for me to catch him.

The light turned green and I walked across the street. By the time I'd gotten back to the factory gates, night had fallen. I went over the little side gate, and realized with dread that my key card was in my purse.

I groaned, and walked over the larger gate in the center, examining it. It was fairly wide apart. A small child could fit through, possibly. Maybe if I sucked it in a little, I could fit through too. I was short, and had a fairly small frame. I quickly sized up the gate, deciding whether I should risk squeezing through. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try, right? I mean, where else would I go? I couldn't possibly climb it, and I doubted there would be a back entrance. It was this or nothing, and if it didn't work, then it was worth the effort. I'd just find a lovely park bench to lie down and freeze for death for the night. Simple, easy to remember plan.

I removed my coat, and placed it on the ground.

I inhaled deeply, sucking in my stomach, and squeezed through. I got about half way, when I realized that I couldn't go any further. The bar pressed against my stitches, causing me to wince. The gap was too thin for me to fit through completely. Oh well, it was worth a shot.

I tried to get back through the way a came, and with an impending sense of doom, realized that I couldn't go back that way either. I gripped the bar in front of me, trying to push myself to the side, but I didn't budge. I cursed under my breath and tried again, with no luck. The cold was painful. I was frozen to the bone, and it didn't help that I was stuck between two ice-covered bars in nothing but a thin, long sleeved top and jeans.

I lashed out at the bars, trying to shake myself loose.

"Hello?" I called out desperately, hoping that someone inside of the factory would somehow hear me. The chances were extremely thin, seeing as though the courtyard was fucking huge, and the Cafeteria and Guest Rooms were on the other side of the factory. Plus, my voice didn't carry out well because my stomach and chest felt like they were being crushed.

I screamed out again, weakly shaking at the bar in front of me. I maneuvered my leg a bit, so that I could maybe push myself out. But as usual, it didn't work.

By this stage I was frantically hyperventilating, fighting back tears. It was late, and I doubted anyone would be out for a casual stroll at this hour, so there wasn't any chance for help. I'd be frozen to death by morning at this stage. I felt real, unadulterated fear as I considered this, and I lashed out again.

"Help! Hello? Can someone please help me!"

I was stuck there for about another 10 minutes, desperately trying to free myself, when I saw a jet of light appear on the snow covered ground in the courtyard. The giant metal doors opened and a figure stepped out.

The relief I felt at that moment was amazing. "Oh, thank god! Please help me!" The tears blurred my eyes, and I couldn't make out who it was at this distance.

He was about 15ft away when I realized that it was Mr. Wonka.

I heard him chuckle as he approached me. Sadistic bastard.

"How'd ya manage to get yerself in this situation?" He asked, amusement evident in his voice. The streetlight cast weird shadows on his face, making him look sinister, despite his perfect smile.

"Who fucking cares. Can you please help me out? I'm freezing and it's extremely painful." I gestured to my stomach.

"Okey dokey." He said lightly, and leaned his cane against of the bars, and gripped my arm with his latex clad hands. His grip was firm, but somehow delicate at the same time. He yanked on my arm.

I hissed. "Ouch!"

He tried again, being a little gentler.

"This isn't going to work." I stated. I hadn't budged an inch.

His brow furrowed, and he thought for a second.

"I have an idea. I hope you don't mind.." He extended both hands and pushed them through the bars, gripping my around my waist. I winced at the contact with my injury.

He muttered an apology, and moved his hands upwards a bit, so he didn't come into contact with my injury.

"No, no, no! Go down!" I said in panic, blushing and his hand faintly brushed against my chest. Not that I had much, anyways, but the general area.

His eyes widened when he realized, and he also blushed. "Fudge cakes. My sincere apologies." He stammered and moved his hands down slightly, and pulled.

"You're not very strong, are you?" I commented, when he stumbled back, losing momentum.

"Insulting me does not make you more intelligent than I." He retorted, placing his hands around my waist again.

"No, being more intelligent than you makes me more intelligent than you, you idiot. Now pull, please, before I freeze to death."

"I guess it's to late to pretend I never saw you, isn't it?"

"Yes. And anyway, if you left me here, you'd have to explain why you have a frozen corpse in your courtyard, wouldn't you? Surprisingly, frozen corpses aren't too good for business."

He waved a hand. "Halloween decorations."

"It's December." I pointed out.

He grudgingly pulled a bit harder this time, but slipped again.

"Keep going. I think I moved a bit that time."

He pulled again, and I felt myself move.

"Okay, one more should do it." He pulled again, and I moved, but I wasn't completely out. With one last heave, I felt myself slip through the bars and fly forward, hitting Mr. Wonka with a small thud. I cried out as we hit the ground. Unfortunately, I fell directly on top of him, so that I was pretty much lying on the poor guy.

My head swayed a bit from the sudden movement and the newfound ability to breath, but once I realized the situation I was in, I felt my face burn.

"There we go!" He said with an anxious giggle. I could sense his embarrassment when I met his eyes. Those mesmerizing, deep, violet eyes, framed with thick lashes. I saw them widen as I gazed into them. They were so strangely beautiful, like the man himself. I'd be kidding myself not to admit it, but I hadn't fully appreciated it before. Maybe it was the proximity, the sweet, intoxicating scent of him.

"Thank you, Willy." I said breathlessly.

Unthinkingly, I lowered my head until my lips met his, soft and hesitant.

I felt his breathing speed up and his lips moved against mine. I'd like to say that there were fireworks and sparkles everywhere, but that would be a lie.

It was just us, and nothing else existed except his mouth moving against mine.

My lips parted, and we kissed more deeply, each savoring this perfect moment of bliss before the cold reality of what we were doing would come crashing down.

Suddenly, the only thing I felt was horror and disgust. I quickly pulled away, snapping out of my stupor.

"Oh." He gasped.


	13. Chapter 13: Regrets

**Chapter 13**

**Regrets**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: I own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and all of the characters in it. Oh, I'm also a cyan colored Pegasus who eats Platypuses and likes long walks on the beach.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Looking Back" By Kerry Muzzey **

**A/N: I think that apples are lovely.**

* * *

I woke up in the morning to knocking on the door.

"Who is it?" I called wearily, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

"It's Justin Bieber." Kim said.

"Hey Kim, gimme one second." I called, pulling the sheets off and hurrying to the mirror. I quickly pulled out a set of clothes from my drawers and hurried to get changed. Once I was done, I unlocked the latch on my door and opened it.

"Sorry, I had to get changed." I said.

She giggled. "Your hair.."

"What?" I walked into my room, Kim following behind me, and looked in the mirror, to see a strand of hair sticking up at the top.

"Haha. Funny." I said sarcastically, but with a grin. I brushed it down and turned to her.

"So, what's up?"

"I was just wondering if you were coming to work today? That is, if you feel well enough."

"Oh, um.. Hold on."

I walked over to look at my timetable, and saw that I had Designing Candy Wrappers with Mr. Wonka first. My stomach dropped.

"Actually, I'm still not feeling 100%. More about 30%, right now..." Kind of true, in a way.

"Aw, really? That's too bad. Oh well, I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yeah." I agreed.

"Oh, and where were you yesterday? You left really early and didn't see you come back."

I felt a thrill of fear at the mentioning of yesterday.

"I went to the library with Josh." I said simply. She gave me a look. "Fine. Then I got mugged, and the guy stole my bag, which had my entry card in it."

"Oh. How'd you get in, then?" She looked at me in concern.

"I just squeezed through the gate." I lied. I suppose it was half true. I left out the part where I got stuck and kissed Mr. Wonka.

She nodded I understanding. "Oh, okay. That's too bad about your bag though. It was pretty. But wow, you really have horrible luck. Careful closing the door when I leave, you might bash your brains out while doing so. Here, I'll do it. Just in case. Oh, and make sure not to trip and tear your esophagus walking away from the door."

I laughed. "I'll try. No promises."

"Alrighty. See ya." She closed the door mockingly, and I rolled my eyes and went to walk back to my bed. Naturally, I stumbled over the shoe I'd left on the floor yesterday.

"I tripped. My esophagus is okay though." I yelled out to her.

I looked at the timetable, and back at the door.

Quickly shoving my boots on, and ran after her, almost slamming the door in my haste. I fell into step beside her.

"I changed my mind." I said.

"Oh, so you're 40% now?"

"50."

She laughed. "Okay then."

"What do you have?"

"Repairing one of the machines in the Inventing Room. Apparently one of them malfunctioned somehow. It's not very detailed."

"How would you know how to repair it?"

"My Uncle owns a Car Repair shop. I used to help out a lot. Still do, but I don't have the time anymore, really. I mentioned it on the application." She smiled.

"That's nice." I smiled back. "My Uncle's a lawyer. I doubt he'd let me help out in his job. We're in the same room too, by the way, the Inventing Room."

"Ah, okay."

We walked together to the Wonkavator and took it to the Inventing Room. I stepped out after her, slightly nervous. I told myself to suck it up. That avoiding him wouldn't make it better.

He was already standing at one of the benches, taking notes.

"Morning, sunshine!" Kim greeted him in a sarcastic, sing-song voice.

He looked up at her, and then to me. I could tell he was surprised that I even showed up today.

His response was delayed only by a second. "Morning!" He said plainly, unlike himself.

I hoped my blush wasn't too obvious.

There was a moment of silence.

"So, where's this malfunctioned machine at?" Kim asked.

"Ah, right. It's just that one over there, with the red buttons." He pointed to a machine, then reached under the bench to retrieve a rolled up piece of paper and a box of tools. "Here are the blueprints and the tools."

"Thanks. I'll get right to work." She took them off his hands and jogged over to the machine.

I stood there awkwardly.

"I'll, uh, go work over there." I nodded to Kim, who was already absorbed in her task.

He nodded, and went back to his notes.

I sat down at the bench near Kim, pulled out my pencil tin and book, and got to work.

* * *

About half an hour had passed, when I heard Kim packing away the tools.

I looked up and saw that she was finished.

"Done already?" I asked.

"Mhm. It was a piece of cake. Chocolate cake, that is. Seeing as though it's a chocolate factory."

I peeked over my shoulder, and saw that Mr. Wonka was holding up a test tube, examining it.

"Are you and John dating?" She asked. I looked back to her, surprised.

"Are you serious?"

She shrugged. "The topic came up over breakfast this morning."

"Oh, god." I said, embarrassed. "We're friends. And I intend to keep it that way."

She laughed.

"It was just that you two seem really close, and all. Plus, he all but filled your room up with flowers."

"In a very _friendly_ manner." I peeked back over my shoulder to see if Mr. Wonka had heard. He seemed oblivious to our conversation, but who knows?

I turned back to Kim, who was looking at me knowingly.

"Oh… you and him?" She said in a low voice, so that only I could hear.

My mouth fell into a small 'o'. "No, no." I said hastily, a bit too loud. I quickly glanced back to see if he had noticed. "That's absurd." I whispered.

She nodded, smirking.

"Oh god, Kim. He's what, 50? Too old, if you hadn't noticed already. That, and he's my fucking boss, combined with the fact that he's weird and possibly insane, renders him a _bad choice_. I did not come to the factory to build up my non-existent love life." True enough. I didn't exactly lie to her, because I never admitted that I didn't have feeling for him. All I did was give her a list of reasons why it wouldn't happen.

She laughed. "He is kind of hot, though. You have to admit."

I ignored her, and went back to my sketching.

* * *

I passed the finished designs to Mr. Wonka. Kim had left shortly after our 'conversation'.

"That's the lot." I said.

He glanced at them, before placing them on the bench. "Alice," He said.

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"I didn't think you'd come today, to be honest." He said

"Surprise." I extended my hands from my side slightly.

"Your hair is sticking up at the top."

"Ah, great." I tried patting it down. "Was that all?"

"Mhm. Kinda." He shook his head. "Never mind. I just wanted to tell you that your hair was sticking up at an odd angle. Well, I won't make you late. See ya!"

"See you." I turned and walked to the elevator, cheeks burning. I couldn't be bothered asking what else he wanted to say. It was an argument already lost.

I paused, and turned back, facing him.

"Um. Mr. Wonka.. I've got a question. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to." I took a quick breath and forced myself to say it before I would change my mind. "Did you like it?"

He hesitated. "I'm sorry, I was just, uh, wondering." I continued, quickly.

I looked down at my hands. "And I shouldn't have done it, I know. I regret it, now. I regretted it the moment after it happened." I laughed dryly. "And I have no idea why I'm telling you this, or why I even asked the question in the first place. I basically want to say sorry. So, sorry. It was unfair of me to put you in a position like that. Very unfair. I... technically work for you and I'm so much younger than you. I... Can we just pretend it never happened?" I looked at him pleadingly. There was a slight, tense pause. "I'll just go now." I said before I could embarrass myself even more, and before he could reply. My face was hot and my eyes were wide from disbelief. Why would I ask that? What in hell's name was I thinking?

Questions tripped over themselves in my mind as I walked briskly away from him. Lost in my thoughts as I was, I tripped and knocked my head on the glass elevator door.


	14. Chapter 14: Darcy

**Chapter 14**

**Darcy**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: You own what you own, I own what I own and we agree that we each don't own what the other does own.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Pretty Face" By Soley**

**A/N: ShowerCurtainsTurnMeOn: Yay! You're back again. :D Thank you so much for all your reviews! ^_^**

Arcane Wonders: Thank you! *heart*

**OffMyRocket: Thank you. You are a nice human being.**

* * *

The next Tuesday, Candice, Kim and I went out together. Mr. Wonka had the fortunate habit of paying an excessive amount of money to his workers, so we had accumulated a lot of it. To compensate, we went shopping. It was kind of a stupid idea to go shopping at the very start, because we'd also planned to go to the movie theatre and watch something.

We'd bought the usual girly stuff, clothes, makeup, perfume, shoes. Well, at least they did. I brought a laptop, a few music CD's and a lovely new pair of socks.

It felt kind of unfair, that I was paid more from my 'promotion' when all I actually did was sit around and draw. Ah well.

It was around midday when we walked out of the store, and Kim finally saw the error with our plan.

"Aw, crap. I just realized, we can't take all these bags into the movie theatre. Uh.."

"We can go back and drop them off." I suggested.

"Yeah, we'll do that. And maybe we can have lunch there, so we don't have to buy it." If Kim was anything, she was frugal.

We walked back, chatting about what we bought. Candice didn't say an awful lot, but I could see that she was ecstatic that she'd been invited along. I almost felt bad, ignoring her before, especially when she showed so much concern or me after the incident. Kim complained the entire way that her legs were aching, so I offered to take the shortcut. It wasn't much of a shortcut, but I figured it might stop her complaining.

We walked to the end of the main street, and turned down the small alleyway. It was cold and shady, but we continued walking until we emerged to another street, and then continued down yet another alleyway.

This one was darker than the other one, the roofs on the houses on each side meeting in the middle, blocking the light from above. It was slightly wider, though.

Candice was hesitant walking in, her face fearful.

I walked on, in front, looking ahead. Kim fell behind Candice quietly, and after a while, grabbed her and yelled "Boo!"

Candice screamed, while Kim guffawed at her. She turned around to glare at her, and then screamed again in terror.

"A zombie!" She cried.

We saw a young woman, about our age, hobbling towards us, blood running down the side of her head, her clothes tattered.

"Oh god, are you okay?" I asked, stepping forward, warily.

"It's not a zombie, you fucking imbecile." Kim said to Candice, nudging her.

She swayed slightly and we approached the woman, and I was a little taken aback. She was beautiful, even with the dried, caked blood holding her silvery blonde hair to her forehead.

"What happened?" I asked, extending my hands in case she fell.

"Kim, call the police."

The girl's eyes widened in panic. "No, no, you can't."

"The ambulance, then. You're bleeding."

"Please don't!"

"We have to get you help, we can't leave you here."

She sobbed. "Don't call them. Please."

I looked at Kim, who was peering down at her with an expression of disgust. "Well, what do we do? We can't leave her. She'll bleed to death." I said.

Kim raised an eyebrow. "If she doesn't want help, then we can't really do anything. Just leave her here. It wasn't our problem to begin with."

I paused, looking at her.

Candice cleared her throat. "We could take her back to the factory. They have medical facilities."

"For puppets." I scoffed.

Kim sighed. "Just leave her. Mr. Wonka probably doesn't want guests anyway, especially when they look like _this_."

"But she's injured!" I said.

"Fine. We'll take her back, but if he gets pissed, I'm blaming it on you two."

"Are you okay with that?" I asked the girl.

She nodded reluctantly.

I smiled. "It's nice, you know." I said to no one in particular.

"What is?"

"Not being the one who's mortally wounded for once."

* * *

We walked into the hallway, half dragging the girl along with us.

"Where are you going to put her?" Kim asked.

"Dunno. I'll take her into the Cafeteria or something. Would you mind getting Mr. Wonka?"

She was pretty much unconscious at this point.

"Don't take her into the Cafeteria. It'll contaminate the food." Kim said coldly.

"As much as I'd hate to admit it, I agree." Candice added. "We don't know where she's been, and we can't have blood near food."

"Not to mention all the STD's she's probably picked up along the way." Kim added.

I shot a glare at Kim. "Jesus, you okay there?" I frowned and shook my head. "Okay, I'll take her up to my room and get her cleaned up a bit. Just so Mr. Wonka doesn't have a panic attack, the germophobe."

Candice nodded, and grabbed one of her arms, dragging her into the Wonkavator. The girl seemed to weak to do much of anything at this point.

We took her up to my room. I told Candice to hold her up while I got a few towels, and lay them over the bed, so she wouldn't get blood all over it. She collapsed on top of it with a sigh.

"Do you have any face towels?" Candice asked me. I nodded and grabbed a few out of the bathroom, wetting them with water. I passed one with her, and she began mopping up some of the blood around her face.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in." I yelled.

The door opened, and Kim walked in. Mr. Wonka stood at the door, evidently uncomfortable about approaching the girl. When he saw her, I thought I saw his expression change briefly into a frown of some sort. Confusion? It was gone before I could tell.

"She has a head injury." I explained.

"A head injury?" He asked, his expression somewhat shocked. He started giggling. "How ironic! Ha ha. I hope she doesn't die. Why didn't you call the ambulance?"

"She wouldn't let us. She panicked when we tried to call them."

"Ah, well we should probably get her fixed up, shall we? You," He pointed to me dramatically. "Carry her to the medical ward."

"Since when was it called a Medical Ward? It's a puppet hospital. And me? Really? She's bigger than me. I'll collapse or break or something. I've been doing well not to get into too many accidents, and I don't need a broken arm when I'm doing this great. I was actually pretty chuffed that she was the one with a head injury instead of me." I said.

"Very well, then. Might I add, it's only been three days since you were discharged from hospital after being stabbed. I wouldn't speak too soon." He crossed his arms and smirked. I couldn't help thinking how attractive he looked when he did that. I think my gaze lingered a little longer on his face than it should have, because he raised an eyebrow at me. I looked away.

"Kim? Will you do the honors?" He asked her.

"No. I don't really want to get AIDS. Get Hayden or Tim to do it. Wait, why can't you?"

"And wreck an impeccable suit like this? Decidedly no. Not to mention the germs and blood."

"You have gloves."

He ignored her. "Will you please get Hayden and Tim?"

"No."

"That was a rhetorical question. What I meant was; Go and get Hayden and Tim."

"Why do I have to go and fetch everyone." She pouted, but jogged out of the room.

Mr. Wonka looked at me. "Did she tell you her name?"

"No. She was pretty much unconscious the moment we found her. She could barely form an intelligible sentence."

"Ah." He frowned to himself absentmindedly.

After a few minutes of silence, Kim returned with Hayden.

"I couldn't find Tim. He must be out."

"Hayden," Mr. Wonka said warmly, holding out two hands in greeting. "Will you please carry this young ingénue to the _medical ward_?" He cast a glance at me, emphasizing the last two words.

"Sure." He said without hesitation, and scooped her up off the bed, carrying her off to the so called 'Medical ward. Mr. Wonka left with him, closing the door behind him.

Candice helped me clean up the towels from my bed, and put them into the laundry hamper.

"Poor girl." She said softly. "I hope she's okay."

"She should be. Mr. Wonka will make sure she's fine. I wonder what happened to her though.." I trailed off.

Candice shrugged delicately, and tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear.

"We'll visit her once she's been tended to." I said, trying to be reassuring.

She went back to her room, after that. I placed my shopping bags on top of my set of drawers, and got into a shower.

I stood under the hot water, feeling the water beat down upon my shoulders rhythmically. I don't know why I was so tense. I forced myself to relax, to loosen my shoulders a bit.

I grabbed the bar of soap and scrubbed off some of the blood that had gotten on me while I was supporting the girl.

I thought back to that moment when I was looking at him, and reddened slightly. I tried to force myself to put it out of my mind, but I couldn't. I mean, he just looked so _nice_. He had a nice face.

I squeezed some shampoo in my hair, lathering it up languidly. I concentrated on my immediate task, trying not to let my thoughts linger back to him.

I rinsed the bubbles out, and conditioned my hair.

After I was done with that, I shut the water of and squeezed the excess water out of my hair, before stepping out of the shower and wrapping and towel around myself.

I grabbed the brush next to the basin, and started running it through my hair, humming to myself. I opened my bathroom door and walked out to my room.

Just as I walked out, I heard the door open and Hayden and Mr. Wonka walked in.

I screamed. "What the fuck! I'm not even dressed. Get out!"

Hayden guffawed.

"Why didn't you knock!" I demanded, holding my towel tightly around myself.

"How was I supposed to know you just got out of the shower?" He asked, still chuckling.

"Well, whatever. What did you want?" I asked, indignantly.

"Oh, we just came to say that Darcy's head wound has been dressed, and she is now conscious." He said on a more serious note.

I began rummaging through the clothes in my dresser, looking for something decent to wear.

"Darcy?" I straightened up and looked at him. My gaze flickered to Mr. Wonka, who was next to him. He was concentrated on a spot on the wall, determined not to look at me. I was grateful for his manners.

"Yup. That's her name. She said that she can't remember how she was injured, though. Ah well."

"Oh. Right, well, would you mind leaving me? I'm kind of half naked right now."

Hayden laughed. "Yeah, sorry. Honestly, I had no idea." He jogged out of the room, trailing behind Mr. Wonka.

I thought I saw Mr. Wonka turn to glare at him before the door closed.

I quickly got changed and went to the Puppet Hospital.

* * *

The Elevator door opened with a ding, and I stepped out. Mr. Wonka was sitting in the seat next to her, flicking through the newspaper.

I was suddenly reminded of the time when I woke up here. I dismissed that thought and walked over, examining Darcy.

There was a bandage wrapped around her forehead, and she was wearing a hospital gown. Her face was clean, with no trace of blood on it. With all of the bloody mess that previously covered her face gone, I could fully appreciate her beauty. I repressed a sigh of envy.

"I thought you said she was conscious." I said.

He folded the newspaper and placed it on his lap, clasping his hands together.

"Oh, hello." He said. "She was. When we came back here, she was unconscious again. Or sleeping. Whichever you prefer. By the way, I'm terribly sorry about before."

"Where's Hayden?" I asked.

"He went to get lunch."

"Oh."

I sat down in the seat on the other side of her bed.

"Did she say anything else when she was awake?" I asked.

"Nope. Just her name. She wouldn't answer any of our other questions." His face settled into a sort of frown for whatever reason.

"Okay. I'm going to have lunch now." I said.

"…Mm." I heard a moan and looked down. The girl's eyebrow furrowed, and she turned her head slightly, but otherwise remained asleep.

Mr. Wonka was looking at her with an expression of concern.

I turned and walked into the elevator, pushing down the feeling of jealousy I felt towards her.


	15. Chapter 15: Unpredictable

**Chapter 15**

**Unpredictable**

**Rating: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charlie and the Chocolate factory. None of you would believe me if I did, anyway. **

**Theme song for chapter: "The A Team" By Ed Sheeran.**

**A/N: *Waves magical necklace in front of your eyes* …When I click my fingers, you will review…**

* * *

"Hey." I sat down next to Hayden in the Cafeteria, placing my plate on the table in front of me. He was scraping his food around his own plate, and generally looking down.

"Hi Alice." He looked at me. "You okay?"

I blinked, taken aback. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You just looked a little sad, that's all. Oh, and you've got a bruise on your face."

"Oh, yeah." I brushed my fingers lightly over the tender skin on my jaw. An ugly bruise had begun to show up where that guy hit me, to my horror. Because of my colorless complexion, it seemed a whole lot worse and stuck out like a sore thumb. Although, because it was on my jaw, my hair partly covered it if I arranged it carefully. However, I found my self having to flatten and rearrange that bit of hair constantly and simply found it too much of an effort for something fairly insignificant. Really, how many people were going to see?

I shrugged. "Long story. Got punched. Anyway, I can say the same about you. What's up, pretty boy?" I threw a chip into my mouth and crunched down on it.

He shrugged.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked gently.

He shrugged again. "I'm not sure." He went silent for a while. "Actually, I'll tell you. On one condition. Wait, actually two."

"Which is..?"

He leaned forward, and placed a hand on my cheek, looking into my eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked, green eyes smoldering. I swallowed.

"Uh. Whoa. What?" I asked, once I had regained the ability to think.

"That's the condition." He said, in a slightly less intense manner.

"Ah. Well, I suppose there would be no harm in it…" What was there to lose?

I let him, and he placed his lips on mine. My eyes closed and I felt nothing as my mouth moved against him. There was nothing. No spark.

I kissed him back passionately, trying desperately to feel whatever I felt while kissing Mr. Wonka. After a while, he pulled back, and removed his hand from my face.

"Well, that settles it!"

"Settles what?"

"I'm gay. I hope you didn't mind, me kissing you. Oh god. I hope you… didn't get the wrong idea. I just needed to see. I wasn't so sure before, but now I am. No offense. It's not you."

I grinned. "That's perfectly fine. In fact, thank you. You've shown me what I should have seen ages ago. I'd managed to convince myself that it meant nothing, that I felt nothing. Now I know. What is it, you ask? It is cake. I really, really like cake. But that isn't necessarily a good thing. Too much cake can make you really fat. Now that I've accepted my feelings towards cake, I have no idea what I'm going to do anymore. It's not that I don't like cake. It's difficult to explain. I want to eat it, but at the same time I don't."

"You're insane." He laughed. "Will you tell me what you were down about now, since I told you? That was the other condition, by the way."

"I just did." I said. Kind of true, anyway. "I was debating whether or not to eat cake. I think I've made my decision. I will not eat cake. I will try to forget about it as best I can, and pray that no one finds out my love for cake."

"Ah. Well, that was unexpected."

"What an eventful lunch."

"It really was." He agreed.

* * *

I went back to my room after I finished my lunch. Well, tried to anyway. Kim stopped me in the corridor and asked me if I wanted to come with her to see the 'diseased cow'. I shot a glare at Kim when she mentioned Darcy's new nickname.

"Maybe. Who's there?" I asked, trying to be casual.

"Dunno. I haven't seen her yet, but I wanna ask her a few questions. Come with me." She said, towing me along with her. I sighed, but obeyed submissively.

When we got there, I saw with dismay that Mr. Wonka was still there. I blushed, and turned to look at the rows of beds to my right, trying to hide my face.

Darcy, the 'diseased cow' was sitting up and nodding in reply to something Mr. Wonka had said.

They looked up when we arrived.

"How's she doing?" Kim asked Mr. Wonka, trying pointedly not to talk to the girl. I had a feeling she didn't really like Darcy. I thought I saw a flicker of annoyance in Darcy's face as she looked at Kim. She looked down and tucked a strand of her silvery blonde hair behind her ear.

"She's in stable condition."

Reluctantly, Kim looked at Darcy. "So, what happened to you? I hope it's of some importance, because I now have your blood on my favorite white top, and our plans to see a movie are now cancelled. That, and I had to clean the lovely little trail you left on the floor while they were dragging you along."

Darcy fixed her with a glare. "I don't remember."

"I think you're fibbing." Kim replied gently with a sarcastic smile.

"What does it matter to _you_?"

"I believe your statement is irrelevant to the question I asked you."

"I told you, I don't remember." She repeated defiantly.

"And I'm sure you don't. But I suppose now that you're all stable and such, you can leave now."

"Kim, I would appreciate it if you tried to act reasonably civilized around guests." Mr. Wonka said lightly.

"I'm perfectly civilized. Do you see me lighting a fire on the floor? No."

I put a hand on Kim's arm. She shook it off. She put a finger to her lips, looking at Mr. Wonka thoughtfully.

"I wonder if she's told you yet." She continued.

"Told me what?" Mr. Wonka asked wearily, raising an eyebrow.

"Want to guess what it is? I'll give you a clue. It begins it 'pro' and ends with a 'stitute'. Take your guess." She laughed coldly, smirking. Mr. Wonka's expression didn't really change, but I saw his lips purse ever so slightly and his eyes turn cold.

Darcy flushed bright red, and her expression turned angry.

"You have no right to bring that up." She cried.

"Oh, don't I? Why not? I thought that career was a nice wee conversation starter. I used to work in a fast-food shop, you know. You don't see me getting all angry when someone brings that up. I saw you, if you're curious, almost every day when I went to visit Alice in hospital. You did this to yourself."

"It's none of your fucking business!" She shouted at her.

"And it seems you've started a very good business of your own, haven't you?" Kim smiled sweetly, and with that, she turned and left.

I was too surprised to really say anything, or run after her.

Darcy broke the silence with a small sob.

I didn't know what to do. Comfort her? Leave? I decided to go with the first.

"Uh- Are you okay?"

"Fucking leave! Just go away." She yelled at me.

Okay, maybe I'll go with 'leave'.

I turned around without another word and left, walking into the elevator, looking at the floor. It came as a surprise when Mr. Wonka stepped in with me. I didn't bother with small talk, and just pressed the button.

I looked out of the glass, watching everything zoom by.

He didn't say anything, which I was content with. I looked at him through the corner of my eye and saw his expression was one of… sadness? Hurt? I was slightly shocked at his reaction. He saw me staring, and I didn't even bother looking down in embarrassment. I tilted my head.

"You're very unpredictable." I admitted, honestly.

"I can say the very same about you." He smiled, and looked forward again.

I looked away.

The Elevator turned suddenly and I stumbled. I managed to straighten up, but stumbled again when it turned another corner. I fell into Mr. Wonka, my head bouncing against his chest. My eyes widened and I shoved myself to the far side of the Elevator, hitting my head on the glass in the process.

"Ouch.." I murmured, rubbing my head. Guess my luck didn't last too long.

The Elevator hurtled to a stop, and I staggered out, blushing furiously.

I hurried back to my room.

Oh god, if every encounter was going to be like this…

* * *

***Clicks fingers*******


	16. Chapter 16: Drunk

**Chapter 16**

**Drunk**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: I owneth this not. **

**Theme song for chapter: "Clumsy" By Fergie (Because Alice is always 'tripping' and 'stumbling' hur hur) **

**A/N: Whitestorm35: OOOH! Yay :D Here's a few more chapters for you.**

* * *

The next few days were pretty horrible. I couldn't hide the nervousness I felt when I was around Mr. Wonka, even though he spent an increasing amount of time with Darcy in the Puppet Hospital. It was kind of hard to not feel jealous of her. I think Kim noticed too, because she took every chance she could get to ridicule Mr. Wonka about it.

Before I knew it, it was Sunday again. Over a week had passed since I'd gotten back from the hospital, but it felt like so much longer. I was kind of sad about not being able to spend Christmas with my mother. She'd be spending it alone this year, because we didn't have a lot of family in the country. Most of my mother's side lived in Scotland, where she was born.

I suppose I could just call my mother, or Skype her now that I had my laptop.

I stayed in on Sunday, browsing the Internet on my bed. After almost half a day of shameful laziness, I got changed out of my PJ's and went to the Cafeteria for lunch. I'd skipped breakfast, scared that someone might catch me and haul me along to see Darcy.

Pushing down my fears, I stepped into the Cafeteria, and saw Darcy sitting at one of the tables with Candice and Tim. My eyes narrowed.

I got my lunch, and sat down with Kim and Hayden, who were chatting excitedly about Christmas. They greeted me when I sat down.

"Why is she still even here?" I asked in a low voice, but not really caring if she heard.

Kim shrugged. "Dunno. She seemed to be perfectly fine. I wish she's go back to walking the streets, already."

I laughed, feeling quite evil while I did so. "Oh god. I probably shouldn't laugh. That's horrible. No really." I pulled my face into a disapproving frown.

She shrugged, grinning. "I wonder where Mr. Wonka is. He's usually following her around like a puppy dog."

My laugh was delayed by a split second. "Yeah."

I heard Darcy laugh at something Tim said, and she flipped her silvery hair over her shoulder with a dainty, pale hand.

"Never expected it out of Darcy. She seemed like such a sweet girl." Kim said loudly, but aiming her words at Hayden and I. "But really, who _would_ of expected it of her? No one, I'd bet. I was up all night crying at the very thought of those men... Such a cruel world in which we live." She mockingly wiped an invisible tear from her cheek.

"Do you have a problem with me?" I heard her ask.

"Ooh! So you heard me. My bad. Of course not, deary. Why would I?"

"Go fuck yourself." Darcy retorted.

"Go fuck for money."

I stood up, and dumped the rest of my lunch in the bin. I didn't really want to be here if a fight broke out. With my luck, I doubt I'd survive it, even if I wasn't even part of it. As much as I enjoyed Kim hurling insults at Darcy, her words were cruel and unfair and it was bad of me to be entertained by it. Her circumstances made me stop and think about how lucky I was. Even after my father died, we always had _just_ enough money to keep us going. The bare minimum. I wondered what it was like, being so desperate and isolated that you had to sell your body for money. I wondered how it would feel to spend night after night on a freezing street, waiting for some intemperate and lascivious stranger to appear and ask for her favors. I imaged how horrible it would feel, and I truly felt bad for her. She didn't deserve Kim's constant tormenting, and I thought about turning back and defending her.

But no matter how 'good-willed' and 'sincere' my thoughts were, I was too weak and cowardly to do anything about it.

That stone-cold spot at the edge of my heart reveled in her misfortune and misery. It was a jealous part of me, a cold thing at my core. It told me to keep walking, to let Kim have her. I submitted to it.

The elevator door shut and it zoomed off.

* * *

I stayed in my room for the rest of the day, until dinner time. I hoped that Kim wouldn't be too keen to start anymore fights.

When I got to the Cafeteria, I saw with surprise that Kim wasn't there, and Mr. Wonka was. Well, I suppose it wasn't really a surprise that he was there. I mean, Darcy was there after all. He didn't look up when I sat down at the table he and everyone else were sitting at. Except, he continued looking at her as she was saying something. She looked at me when I sat down next to Hayden, with a small smile of what I thought was contempt.

"Where's Kim?" I asked Hayden quietly.

"I'm not sure. Tim says she left after hurling a few more insults at Darcy. Left the factory, that is. To the best of our knowledge, she hasn't yet come back."

I nodded.

"Oh, Alice! I didn't see ya come in. How's it going?" Mr. Wonka said.

"I've been better. Yourself?" I replied, unenthusiastically.

"I've been fine and dandy!" He said cheerfully. "I just finished telling everyone that there'll be a staff dinner, tomorrow evening. It'll start at half past 7."

"Okay." I said.

He didn't have a chance to say anything more, because the elevator dinged and Kim came striding into the room dramatically.

"Hello everybody!" She announced, staggering as she bumped into a chair.

"Hi Kim!" Mr. Wonka called back cheerfully.

"Oh, why if it isn't Mister Willy Wonka, come down from his pedestal to grace us lowly servants with his presence and to allow us to bask in his glory. Heh. Just kidding, ol' pal." She slapped his back from behind and giggled. Mr. Wonka flinched at her touch.

"You're drunk." I realized.

"You genius." She gasped.

"You're not of the legal age to drink." I said weakly, even though it was too late to change anything and she was too intoxicated to take heed of my statement and apply it in future situations.

"Are you a policeman? Did you turn into a policeman while I wasn't looking?"

She plonked down into the seat between Mr. Wonka and Darcy. There wasn't actually a seat between them to begin with, but Darcy was forced to scoot over as she sat down.

"Naw. You've all gotten so quiet now. Is it me? Do I have something on my face? Y'know, I heard this song while I was out. Reminded me of you." She slurred, and poked the side of Darcy's head. Darcy sagged, sensing another onslaught of abuse coming on.

Kim lost her train of thought, and didn't continue.

"Alice! Or should I say Superintendent Alice!" She grinned and reached across the table, grabbing me into a hug. My face pressed against her collarbone awkwardly, as I was lifted up off my seat slightly. She released me, and Tim and Hayden laughed, while Candice giggled quietly.

I got up from my seat, and walked around, tugging on her slender arm.

"Come on, we're going." I said, attempting to sound forceful.

"Aww, now? But I just got back!" She pouted, but got up dramatically, tossing the seat towards Darcy once she was standing.

"Night guys!" She hugged Mr. Wonka, and kissed him on the cheek, before snatching the hat off his head and taking it with her. He was to busy taking out a bottle of hand sanitizer from his coat and trying to sanitize his face to notice or care too much.

I pulled her along with me, and we went back to her room.

I managed to get her into the room without too much struggling, but I wasn't too sure what to do next.

Fortunately, she decided for me and passed out on top of her bed after about 10 minutes of letting her chat to me about nonsense.

I pulled the covers over her, and turned out the light, grabbing Mr. Wonka's hat and walking out of the room, looking back at her as I closed the door.

Instead of walking into the corridor, I walked into someone's fist, and tumbled forward blindly, legs and arms flailing as I went down.

I saw who it was that I had fallen on top of.

"Oh, god. You? Again?" I said incredulously, vexed.

"Ah, doesn't this bring back the memories." Mr. Wonka grinned.

"Don't worry, I won't try to kiss you again."

"So shines a good deed in a weary world." He said.

"What?"

"You realize you're still lying on top of me." He observed, ignoring my question.

"Oh. Right. Sorry. But it _is_ quite comfortable down here, and I'm just trying to recover from you PUNCHING ME."

"I didn't punch you. I was knocking, and you walked into my hand." He said defensively.

"That's what they all say. 'I'm innocent! I was fist-pumping with a knife in my hand and she just walked into it! Repeatedly! 17 times! I swear!'." I lifted myself off of him carefully, trying not to trip like I usually did.

When I looked back at him, he was already standing. I wondered if he waited until I wasn't looking and stood up really fast, or just had perfect timing. He picked up his hat, brushing a small piece of lint off the rim, and placed it back on his head.

"We sure do get into the most awkward of situations." He commented.

"Agreed. You'd think I'd learn to stop falling on people by now. I'll try harder not to next time."

"Next time?"

"Not that I was implying that there would _be_ a next time."

"Ah well. One can only hope."

I reddened, wondering what he meant by that.

"I take it you really enjoy my discomfort, don't you?" I accused.

"It's what gets me up in the morning."

"You realize that there is a potential hidden meaning to what you just said." I said. Or he said. Because 'That's what he said', if you get my drift.

"I don't get it."

"Good news all around!" I gave him the thumbs up. "Bye!"

I walked off to the elevator, and turned around to see that he was also going to use the elevator.

"Hi again." He said.

"History is surely repeating itself tonight." I said as the elevator doors slid closed.

"You have no idea." He chuckled darkly to himself.

"I sense yet another potential hidden meaning to your previous statement. Is this the part where you look off into the distance, thinking about that hidden meaning, while I obliviously ignore what you just said? That line is so clichéd and overused. I expected more originality from you, Mr. Wonka."

I shook my head in mock disappointment.

"You do not hold possession of any concept or notion whatsoever regarding the subject of my previous remark."

"That's better." I smiled, and let it go.

The elevator arrived at the cafeteria shortly, and I left without another word or goodbye, just in case he was also getting off there too. I was right.

Everyone was still there, luckily. I sat next to Hayden again, after getting my dinner.

"Sorry about Kim." I said to Darcy. "I hope she didn't hurt you or anything."

She looked at me with a questionable expression, but otherwise made no indication she had heard me, and made no move to respond.


	17. Chapter 17: Staff Dinner

**Chapter 17**

**Staff Dinner**

**Rating: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, language**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I also do not own a 1997 Chevy Impala, but that is completely irrelevant. **

**Theme song for chapter: I dunno, so um.. "Wapakalypse" By The Devil Wears Prada. **

**A/N: ShowerCurtainsTurnMeOn: *Continues to dangle necklace* …Now, when I clap my hands, you will review again…**

* * *

"Why do you hate her so much?" I asked Kim over breakfast the next day.

She was drinking coffee, and had her head in her hands.

"Why wouldn't I? She's an asshat."

"I get that she's.. not the most sociable of butterflies, but I just… I don't understand why you hate her so much. Not her as a person as much, but what she does."

"_Who_ she does." Kim corrected. "I wouldn't expect you to understand why."

"I can try." I hinted.

"Fine, but you're asking for it. If you tell anyone else, I will dissect you and sing along to your screams."

"Bonding time." I sighed happily.

She sighed. "My mother's father.. my g_randfather_," She twisted the word. "Forced her into prostitution from when she was only 12. He sold her body to get more money for himself. At the time, they lived in Xinjiang and prostitution wasn't uncommon. I don't think prostitution is uncommon _anywhere_, but yeah. Desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose. I just… I don't understand why someone would do that to themselves, when there are so many people trying to escape it every day."

"Oh, god. I'm so sorry. If I'd known…"

"S'okay. I kinda wanted to get it out, anyway. I hate keeping burdens to myself, even when they're not necessarily mine to keep." She gave a ghost of a smile.

"What happened to her afterwards? If you don't mind me asking." I inquired in my curiosity.

"She met my father when she was 19 and married him. They fled the country a few years later to Dublin, Ireland, to where some of my father's side of the family lived. They lived there for about 10 years, and moved here, to London. I was 5 at the time."

"That's really nice. It's a pity the word 'nice' is so trite and overused, because I feel that is it the most appropriate word to be used in this situation. Pleasant, agreeable, satisfactory. Please refrain from regarding my seemingly weak response as merely a dismissive utterance."

She nodded, smiling.

"I didn't understand a word you just said, but I'm going to keep nodding and pretend I do. I'm just going to go along with it."

I laughed. "You do that."

Kim gasped mockingly. "She speaks English!"

"Por favor."

"'Please'?"

"I dunno. I heard it on Dora once."

She laughed, and we continued with our breakfast, our conversation thankfully flowing into lighter, less vehement topics.

* * *

After breakfast, we proceeded to our first duties of the day. I was to restock the furnace below the 'Nut Sorting' room.

I opened the hatch and climbed carefully down the ladder. It was well lit in most areas, but the light did not reach the edges and corners of the huge room, concealing them in shadow.

The room was huge as it was empty. The ceiling was sloped slightly at the right, which I supposed would be to make room for the chute that travelled down the very center of the room above. The walls were painted a particularly insipid shade of slate grey, and the bright red door at the very end of the room contrasted strangely with it.

I unbolted the door and opened it, walking into a slightly smaller room, but still one of respectable size.

Burning furnaces lined every inch of the walls, save for two small spaces reserved for two doors, one labeled 'Incinerator' and the other 'Coal'. I didn't realize people actually still used coal.

I opened the 'Coal' door, and found the room filled with full sacks of it.

I got to work, and finished about 15 minutes before I had to move on to my next task. I went back to my room, and showered away the coal that stained my hands and, somehow, my face.

I then moved to my next task, had a surprisingly uneventful lunch, which was a rare treat these days, and finished off with my last job of the day.

All in all, it was a very uneventful day.

* * *

I waited around in my room for a bit, and then changed into different clothes for the staff dinner. I wondered whether it would be a formal affair, or casual. In the end, I ended up wearing a dress I'd been given as a gift a few years ago. I hadn't really thought to bring anything nicer, and I supposed this dress could pass as both casual and formal.

It was a soft light blue color, almost grey, and vaguely childlike and shapeless, which suited me just fine as I was pretty shapeless, myself.

It had a white collar around the neckline and white buttons running down the middle of the dress, stopping just above the knee. The sleeves were, thankfully, long.

I then donned a pair of white socks and boots. I didn't care that the boots didn't entirely match the dress, because I was running late and didn't have time to find another pair.

I hurried out, after smoothing down my hair and touching up my makeup.

* * *

I took the elevator to the Cafeteria and found that everyone was already there, besides Darcy, seeing as though she wasn't necessarily 'staff'.

I noticed everyone was dressed pretty formally, so I was glad that I had worn this, even if I did look a little underdressed.

I took the only seat left, which was on the end, corner, or top or the table. Whichever you wanted to call it. I sat next to Tim and Mr. Wonka, you could probably say. I was at the corner of the table, but Mr. Wonka was on the very end. Music played quietly in the background, and the other tables had been moved elsewhere, giving the strong impression of some high-class restaurant. It was all very posh.

"Hello, Alice." Mr. Wonka greeted me, smiling.

He was wearing a finely tailored suit, as usual. His jacket and the trim of his hat was a deep plum color, almost like the one he wore when I first saw him, but somehow more magnificent. I was momentarily distracted by him.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Wonka." I greeted him back quickly after my obvious hesitation, flustered.

"You look nice." He commented idly.

"Thanks. You too, as usual." I immediately winced at my awkward choice of words. "In the sense that, you look the same as usual, and I feel obliged to return the compliment. Not saying you don't look nice. It is quite the contrary, I assure you." I stopped there, in case I managed to make more a fool of myself. "I'll shut up now. I'm rambling."

He giggled. "The ravings of a lunatic."

"I think I forgot my meds this morning. Oops."

"It's okay. I'll call the asylum worker and inform them of your mistake."

"Thanks. Tell them to bring the straight jacket. I think I feel another fit coming on."

"Righty-oh, will do."

"Much obliged." I said.

He giggled, and stood up, commanding everyone's attention.

"Good afternoon, people. Thank you for joining me tonight. As you're probably aware, your stay at my factory is coming to an end. There's a little over two weeks, more or less, left. I just wanted to thank you all for your enthusiasm and your service. That's pretty much it, and I just wanted to get the 'Staff Dinner' out of the way, because it was on the list of things I should do that was given to me by the people who run the 'Work Experience' thingy. As you were."

Dinner was then served by Oompa Loompas wearing ridiculous waiter outfits. After dinner, we had dessert.

I couldn't tell you the names of what we had for dinner and dessert, because I honestly didn't know. No doubt they were some invention, cooked up in the labs in the factory. All I knew was that they tasted of nothing I'd ever tasted before, and that it was amazing.

Even distracted as I was by the beautiful food, I couldn't help but notice how little Mr. Wonka ate, if he even ate anything at all, which I doubted. He scraped the food around his plate with his fork while conversing with various members of the party, no doubt hoping the movement of the fork around his plate would trick them into thinking he was busy eating.

I was pretty certain I was the only one who noticed this, because throughout the evening, I found myself almost uncomfortably aware of him. I tried to avert my eyes, pretend as if I didn't notice him, but he just kept jabbering on about nonsense to me.

By the end of the evening I was flushed and nervous, and kept stumbling over my sentences, which were awkward in themselves. I thought I saw Mr. Wonka throw a smirk my way more than once. He seemed to be enjoying my state of discomfort.

Finally, the night drew to a close, and everyone got up to leave. I tripped over one of my laces just as I was about to leave, and banged my forehead on one of the chair legs. I cursed, rubbing it. Great. I just hoped I wouldn't get another bruise, as the one on my jaw was almost completely gone. It was a slight yellow color now. By the time I got up, everyone had left besides Mr. Wonka.

"Ouch." He commented, grimacing. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." I assured him.

"That's good, but jokes aside, are you really okay? You seemed kinda skittish this evening."

"I feel fine. Really." He raised a disbelieving eyebrow at me. I sighed in defeat.

"I don't know. Yeah, I feel skittish. Maybe I'm coming down with something. Is it just me, or is it hot in here?"

"That would be me."

"Sure, sure." I mumbled dismissively. "Well, I'm gunna head off now. I feel a headache coming on. I want to be within two meters distance from a packet of aspirin when it hits. Laters."

"Okey-doke. See ya later, alligator!"

"In a while crocodile." I replied, but then frowned. "Oh god, that was weird of me. Remind me to never reply to your strange greetings and farewells with equally as strange ones. It's just wrong."

"Yeah, it really is." He agreed.

* * *

***Clap*******


	18. Chapter 18: Inhuman

**Chapter 18**

**Inhuman**

**Rating: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language, Scariness **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or any of it's characters. Unfortunately, while watching the movie the other day, I broke my iPod so I don't own one of those either.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Grisly Reminder" By Midnight Syndicate. **

**A/N: Oh, wow. I uploaded this yesterday, and I've already gained half of the reviews back. Thank you guys! I would totally hug you right now if that were possible.**

* * *

I woke with a start in the night, as the sound of a loud 'bang!' projected through the building. It sounded close, as if it had been in the corridor directly outside my room. I grappled around for the lamp on my bedside table for a moment, and found the switch, shaking my head groggily.

There was another bang, which shocked me into some sense. I jumped up from my bed and held my door handle, not sure whether to open it and see the cause of the noise, or lock it and to shut myself away from it. After a small moment of debate, I opened it a crack and peeped out. The corridor, or what I could see of it, was completely empty.

I heard the door next to me, Candice's room, open and she walked out, rubbing her eyes.

"Do you know what that sound was?" I asked her, and she jumped at the sound of my voice.

I opened my door more, and stepped out into the hallway.

"No, I didn't. It sounded like it was coming from right outside my door, though." She said.

"Yeah." I said breathlessly.

There was another loud bang, louder than before, and I screamed and ran towards Candice in my terror. We waited for a tense moment, silent.

There was another sound, such a chilling one that Candice pushed me into her room and locked the door behind us.

It started out a low croak, and then escalated into a high, hysterical screaming of absolute, pure horror. I can't even describe it properly, the unnaturalness of it. It couldn't have come from a human being. It was inhuman. I screamed along with it, clinging to Candice.

It drew nearer, I could hear it getting louder, and Candice clamped a hand over my mouth. She looked at me deliberately and pressed a finger to her lips. With effort, I managed to get a grip on myself. She slowly took her hand away, and moved both to the door handle.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I hissed quietly, terrified.

"I have to see. What if someone's hurt out there? It could be Darcy, or Kim." She whispered back, and turned her hands, opening the door a crack.

The moment the door opened, the shrieking ceased abruptly.

My mouth gaped.

I could see the horror on Candice's face, and she shut the door immediately.

All was silent for a few moments, and then we heard the footsteps. They advanced slowly. The tension was almost tortuous.

Then they stopped, right outside the door, and the knob turned.

I promptly passed out.


	19. Chapter 19: Fabulous

**Chapter 19**

**Fabulous**

**Rating: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own this fandom, and neither do you.**

**Theme song for chapter: I dunno :c Random song time, then. "Get Back" By Ludacris. **

**A/N: Whatever you do, do NOT review this chapter. I mean it. If you do, you will not get a cookie. **

**(My attempt at reverse psychology)**

* * *

I woke in the Puppet Hospital alone.

After the initial shock of what happened, I quickly examined myself to make sure I wasn't injured. Fortunately, with my luck, I wasn't. Just dizzy.

"Morning, starshine!" Said a voice beside me.

"Mother_fucker_!" I shrieked ungracefully. I heard Mr. Wonka gasp, and his hand flew up to his mouth.

"Sorry! I didn't see you there." I said, pressed a hand to my heart. He was sitting on the seat next to my bed, newspaper folded neatly on his lap as always.

"I can see that."

"What happened last night?" I demanded. "Did you hear those sounds? And the scream? Crap, it was scary. Candice opened the door and then it stopped and then there were footsteps and knob started turning!" I babbled on.

"Language, my dear fish. Oh, and it was just a machine malfunction." He waved a hand dismissively.

"And the screams?"

He made a face. "Oh, uh. That was me."

I looked at him.

"I stepped on a piece of Lego…?" He said questionably.

I couldn't help but smile.

"Do you often have piece of Lego lying about?"

"Yes. An unfortunate habit." He said matter-of-factly.

"What about your shoes?"

"They're made of an awfully thin material. I shall have to complain to the company."

"Right." I said, nodding. "And you plan on telling everyone else this?"

"Yes."

"…Are you are hoping people will believe your pathetic cover story?"

"Hopefully."

I shrugged and got out of the bed.

"Will you tell me the real reason?"

"Decidedly no. I am not obliged nor disposed to do so."

"Aw. Really?"

"Really." He concluded with a smile.

"Ok. I respect that. You don't have to tell me." I shrugged and smiled back.

"Terrific."

I waited for a few moments. "You're supposed to tell me, now."

"What?"

"It's a general rule that if someone says you don't have to tell them, you tell them."

"I'm fabulous. I don't have to follow rules." And with that, he breezed out of the room.

* * *

***Awaits anxiously to see if my sad attempt worked***


	20. Chapter 20: Flicker

**Chapter 20**

**Flicker**

**Rating: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or it's characters. I'm just the babysitter. **

**A/N: O_O **

* * *

The day ran its course as it usually would, after the talk of the loud noises had subsided. Apparently no one heard the scream, besides me, Candice and possibly Mr. Wonka. Even then, Candice said that she couldn't remember what had happened after the knob turned. I don't think she passed out, because she wasn't in the hospital this morning. Nothing about the situation seemed to match up.

The subject soon lost its novelty, as everyone had simply dismissed it as, like Mr. Wonka put it, a machine malfunctioning.

It made me extremely uneasy just thinking about it, so I tried putting it out of my mind, which simply did not work at all.

I kept busy all day, in between jobs and after work hours, not wanting to return to my room. I knew, well I hoped, that nothing would come back, and that it was frivolous and vacuous to even think it would.

I hung out with Hayden in the common room after that, and we watched a movie on his laptop.

After dinner, I reluctantly returned to my room, locked the door, showered, and went to bed.

I lay there for a while, reading 'Jayne Eyre' and hoping there wouldn't be any more noises.

Once I was tired, I put my book down and pulled the blanket tighter around me, but I left the light on like a scared little child.

Eventually, after promising to punish myself later for this moment of weakness, I managed to fall asleep.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up, and continued through the day like I normally would.

The day went along as usual, nothing really worth noting except that Kim got angry at Mr. Wonka and started yelling at him in the Elevator. I think it was about something to do with Darcy, but I wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying. I was too busy watching his expression of amusement, until I noticed a button on the wall near his shoulder. 'Abyss'. I stared at it for a while, curious as to what was inside the room. But then, I can't really explain it, but it flickered. It disappeared for a second, the whole button, reappeared and then disappeared again. It didn't leave a blank space when it disappeared, it was just replaced with some other room.

I stared at the space it used to be, wondering what had happened, and I saw a flicker of movement in my peripheral vision. It reappeared at the very top right hand corner and stayed there. My brow furrowed. I'd never seen any of the buttons change around, let alone _flicker_. I was too busy trying to explain it, that I almost missed my stop. Kim pinched my cheek, telling me, rather angrily, that we were there.

But other than that insignificant event that could quite easily be explained, the day was thankfully ordinary.

* * *

I was preoccupied throughout dinner that evening, too absorbed in my own thoughts to pay much attention to the conversation around me.

The thought had popped up randomly while I was digging around in my jacket pocket, trying to find my to-do list. I didn't know where it came from, but I couldn't get it out of my head after that.

I remembered the second time I fell on him in the hallway, and what he said afterwards, as I sat down at the cafeteria table, greeting everyone including Mr. Wonka. I noticed how often he was joining us for meals now, even though he didn't even eat anything, thanks to Darcy. I don't think he ever went out of his way before.

"Ah well. One can only hope." I repeated in my mind.

What did he mean by that? I hadn't given it much thought at all at the time.

He could have just been saying it to dismiss the subject, but I wasn't sure. Had he been hoping, as his sentence implied? Or was I actually delusional enough to convince myself that that was what he meant. Now that I thought about it, that was probably the most likely. I am a 17 year old teenager who possesses very little personality, pretty average on the scale of looks and to top it all of, short.

I thought of Candice with envy. She was tall and thin, long legs and long red hair and a beautiful face. She could easily pass for a model.

Even Kim, too. Even though she wasn't as tall as Candice, she had a slim and petite build. Her silky, ebony hair came down just past her jawline and framed her face. Her striking, large brown eyes were framed by thick lashes, although the beauty of her eyes was probably somewhat hidden due to the fact that she was constantly glaring at you, scowling, or smirking. I smiled in affection. Even though she was very assertive and bold, I found myself thinking of her as one of my close friends.

But then I frowned to myself, realizing that even Hayden, with his dark brown hair and piercing green eyes, and Tim, his disheveled sandy blond hair, tanned face and blue eyes were both absurdly attractive.

But even so, none of them quite compared to Darcy, even though she technically wasn't part of the group. Her long, silvery blonde hair that cascaded down her back to her waist could make a girl sigh just by looking at it. The features on her finely-boned, ivory colored, heart-shaped face were delicately beautiful, inspiring envy. Her large blue eyes were like ice, cold and calculating but pale and glinting.

I looked down at my plate of food, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious.

Me, plain, with pale skin that looked more anemic instead of ivory, blue eyes that failed to pierce, rather large front teeth and a pointy chin. Me, who actually thought for a second that I might have the slightest hope that he liked me. I'd bet he'd go for Hayden or Tim before he'd go for me. My brow furrowed for a second, considering that. What if he… did prefer men over women? He never seemed to show any interest towards them. But then again, he didn't show interest towards _any_ gender. He was probably asexual. That would make sense, seeing as though he's something of a mysophobe and didn't like other people. Not that it mattered. Even if I was pretty, if I was kindhearted and funny and had a good personality, there was still the problem of having to leave in a few weeks. I frowned slightly at that thought in disappointment, but I straightened my face quickly after realizing how odd it would look if someone saw me frowning at seemingly nothing.

I looked up from my plate to see if anyone noticed, and I found Mr. Wonka's gaze trained on me. He eyes flickered away immediately, back to Darcy, who was pulling on his sleeve, trying to get his attention back to herself. She continued talking about nonsense and I looked back down at my plate, suddenly finding the food unappetizing. I forced myself to eat another few mouthfuls, but gave up after that, throwing the rest in the bin. I excused myself, and went back to my room, planning on finishing a few sketches for work.


	21. Chapter 21: Confession

**Chapter 21**

**Confession**

**Rating: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, language**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or anything affiliated with it. Due to that fact, I'll just go cry in a corner now.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Can I Hold You Now?" By James Newton Howard. **

**A/N: xSilentDawnx: Who knows? Maybe Willy's got some insane, murderous wife one of his old friend had thrust upon him locked up in one of those rooms of his. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised. xD**

* * *

I collapsed on top of my bed when I got back to my room, and just sat there for a few moments.

I hated these feelings. I hated the way the feelings made me feel, and I hated the way the feelings of the feelings made me feel. It was a vicious cycle, but it was also my own fault, really. I put those godforsaken feelings on myself by kissing him that night. Before that, I hadn't so much as looked at him twice. I thought of him as my weird, eccentric, world-famous, ingenious boss and nothing more, the way it was supposed to be.

I sighed, removing my jacket and folding it up.

There was a knock on the door, and I sighed loudly yet again, making sure it was audible from the other side of the door.

"Who is it?" I called, letting the irritation seep into my voice.

"It's me." Mr. Wonka said.

"No, that's impossible. You are you and I am me, and if I were you, I would just say my name to avoid the whole 'you are you and I am me' argument." I got up, and walked slowly to the door, deliberately taking my time. I opened it up a crack and peeped through.

"What do you want? I haven't finished the sketches, if that's what you're here for. I was planning to work on them now, but you came in just when I got back."

"Actually, I was wishing to discuss other matters. May I come in?"

"What's the password?"

"The password is 'Nitrogen."

"How'd you know? Step into my office." I flung open the door dramatically.

He took off his hat, and stepped into my office.

I didn't bother about closing the door, and just sat down on the edge of my bed.

He stood in front of me.

"Someone came for you today."

I looked at him. "Who?"

"According to Doris," I recalled the Oompa Loompa in Reception. "She said his name was John."

"What was his purpose?" I asked, trying to hide my curiosity.

"He left a message saying that his Aunt passed away and he came to tell you that he's leaving for the States in two days."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded, guilty and sad for John. When I got my new phone, I hadn't given him the number.

"I _am _telling you."

"When did this happen?"

"This morning. Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to inform you 'till now."

"You could have let him in or something!"

"I do not allow guests into the factory."

"You let Darcy in." I said coolly.

"You brought her here in her state. I couldn't refuse her, now could I?"

"She's fine _now_."

He hesitated. "She's different. Her circumstances-"

"I know." I interjected selfishly.

I thought about what I said, and continued;

"I know. I understand. I- If I were in your position, I wouldn't make her go back to… what she was doing either. I just feel really bad for John, that's all.

He's been so good to me. I'm going to miss him."

He paused for a second. "Do you love John?"

I blinked, taken aback. "What? No. He's my friend. Why?"

He shrugged.

"Why did you ask me?" I repeated.

He smiled. "Just wondering."

"Why were you wondering?"

"Touché."

"So….?"

He sighed. "I am not compelled to answer you."

He walked to the door and placed his hand on the knob.

"Mr. Wonka, wai-" I was shocked to see that instead of walking out of the door and closing it behind him, he shut the door and turned back to me.

I looked at him and swallowed. "Willy…?"

He walked in front of me, and bent down so that his face was level with mine.

His brilliant, penetrating, addictive gaze met mine and I melted.

"But I will anyway."

I didn't reply, suddenly unsure and suspicious.

"I can't figure you out," He said, his brow furrowing. "You're weird."

I couldn't help but feel disappointed. "That's it?"

"Lemme continue, 'kay? As I was saying; You're weird. As weird as they come. You are a mystery wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a cardigan. You always surprise me, and I find it a challenge to predict what you're going to say next."

"Is it a pretty cardigan?"

"My point proven. I can never guess what you're going to say next. Not to mention the fact that your mood changes so frequently and unexpectedly. I'd love to know what's going on inside your head."

"Are you insinuating that I am bipolar?"

"Yes, but that isn't my point."

"Thanks. Continue."

"Most of the time, you walk around looking confused as a baby in a topless bar, but the point is; You entertain me."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Your face entertains me."

"This conversation is getting more insulting with every sentence."

"Oops. I didn't mean it like that. I meant it as a 'pretty' sort of way. No, not pretty.." He shook his head. I frowned.

"Beautiful."

"Oh."

My blush deepened, but I kept my face straight.

He paused, and suddenly took my hand in his.

Ah, fuck. Please don't say it.

"Alice, I've decided that I think I might possibly love you. Maybe." Darn it.

The news hit me like a basketball to the nose, and I sat in stunned silence for a moment.

My stomach filled with butterflies. No, not butterflies. More like exploding, wrathful, suicide-bomber mutant butterflies with Hitler mustaches and who have a thing for sadism.

I refused to believe it. He was lying. Of course he was, he had to be. There was absolutely no reason at all for him to love me. I wasn't pretty, I didn't have a nice personality, I wasn't funny, I wasn't rich, and heck, I didn't even have some tragic past for him to pity me on. I was just…nothing. A random unexceptional teenage girl. And then there was Mr. Wonka. He was beautiful, he had a strange and yet amazing personality and he was a genius. He was revolutionary, witty and scintillating and had the incredible power to take things straight out of the book of 100 Impossible Things and make them a reality.

"You're lying!" I accused, glaring. "That's not funny." My mouth turned downwards involuntarily, my face falling.

"Unfortunately not. I mean this in the nicest possible way, but you don't just choose who you love. It just happens, sometimes, to someone you would least expect it."

I glared at him, or more at his nose. I refused to meet his eyes.

"Bullshit."

"Language, my dear fish."

"I'm not a fish. I'm a motherfucking mermaid. What of it?"

He giggled. "You're such a teenager."

"You're such a… human."

"I hope so."

"I need some air."

Mr. Wonka grabbed my hand as I went to reach for the doorknob.

I turned to him suddenly and was about to yell something at him, but then he spoke.

"Listen, I don't expect you to return my feelings at all. In fact, I think it'd be better if we… avoided each other from now on due to these unforeseen circumstances that have arisen. Again, I don't expect anything back from you. I just thought you should know what's on my mind and why I'll suddenly start avoiding you. 'Kay?"

"Well… Ugh. What did you want me to say to that, then? If you didn't expect me to return you feelings, what _did_ you expect? I'm leaving in under two weeks." I grabbed his hand, and held it tightly between mine own two, and closed the space between us, staring into his eyes fixedly.

"Do you want the truth? I think I like you too. I think I'm infatuated with you. I'm not going to say I love you because I don't know what the hell love even is. I'm just a teenager, and you older people are always rattling on about how we get in over our heels and rush into what we think is real 'love'. I don't know what this is, but I feel _something _towards you, as embarrassing as that is to admit. If I… If I… _did _happen to," I struggled to find the right word. "Accept your…" Again, I struggled. Thanks vocabulary, for failing me just when I needed it. "Statement? What will happen at the end of my stay?"

And then I kissed him. I heard him moan slightly, maybe in surprise of my abrupt actions. I kissed him harder, more fervently as our mouths moved against each other. Pulling apart our entwined fingers, moving from our lips to our tongues. I ran my fingers through his hair, intoxicated with his scent.

I savored this moment of happiness, this feeling that I'd craved for weeks.

This bittersweet moment, perfect in it's own way, but tainted with the feeling of desolation. I felt the tears on my cheeks and whispered an apology against his lips.

I forced myself to pull away, ashamed at my rash, spur of the moment decision. With an apologetic glance, I ran out of my own room, almost slamming the door behind me in my haste, wiping the traitorous tears that coursed unceasingly down my flushed cheeks.

I felt strange and confused. Guilty and empty. Hadn't I wished for his acceptance? For his love? So why didn't I just take the chance, turn back now and tell him I want to be with him? Because it wasn't me. I was too proud and yet too weak at the same time. I pushed the button and the elevator door slid open, angrily wiping away the fresh wave of tears that stung my red cheeks. I looked at the wall of buttons before me. For once I had no idea where to go. I just wanted to get out of the factory. I wanted to be outside, to feel the cold air against my skin, so smell the pure untainted breeze instead of the sweet smell of candy.

I extended my hand to push the 'Main Hall' button, when I suddenly felt it vanish beneath my finger. It all happened so quickly, that I could barely even register it. I saw another button appear, and before I could stop myself, my finger pressed down on it.

'Abyss' glowed red, and the elevator plunged straight down into the depths of the earth.


	22. Chapter 22: Abyss

**Chapter 22**

**Abyss**

**Rated: T (Language, slight scariness)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: How odd is it that I don't own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, even though I should.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Epilogue" By Midnight Syndicate. **

**A/N: Happy Birthday to meee. Happy Birthday to me. Wait. What? It's not even my birthday. Never mind.**

* * *

It plunged straight down, and I couldn't even distinguish anything that we passed. I panicked, pressing random buttons out of desperation, hoping that it would change it's direction. But every time I pressed a button, it glowed slightly, building up my hopes and letting then crash down when the light flickered and disappeared. I was terrified because, lets be honest, Abyss was one hell of a scary name.

Soon, we plunged into the grey mist of Minusland and my throat closed up in trepidation. I heard faint, listless moans echo through my ears. But the elevator was going to amazingly fast that it was passed it within about 10 minutes. By the end of that 10 minutes, I had sunk to the floor, cowering in the corner in defeat.

I was plunged into blackness. Absolute blackness. The only thing visible was the eerie glow of the button. I didn't know if I was moving anymore or even how to get back. With a shaking hand, I tried pushing a few buttons, but none of them worked. I sobbed in terror. Was this it? Was this the Abyss? This cold, dark place devoid of anything except the eerie glow of the red light which was evidently growing weaker and weaker even as I watched?

It flickered, and I sobbed in terror. What would happen when the light went out? Nothing? Even though 'nothing' seemed harmless, I dreaded it more than anything. I'd rather die trying to get out than die waiting.

I grappled around on the floor, feeling for the door and tried prying it open.

Then I remembered my jacket. I grabbed it, searching through my pockets for something. Anything.

I felt something solid. My iPod! With sudden hope, I pulled it quickly out my pocket and turned it on. It cast a small glow, making the elevator visible. It was a cold comfort. I dug into the pocket again, but there was nothing else. I felt around in my jean pockets, but there was also nothing.

Suddenly, I had an idea. I grabbed the bobby pin out of my hair and brought the iPod nearer to the door, so I could see what would happen, and shoved the pin through the tiny gap in between the two doors. I saw it fly upwards and then disappear from view into the inky blackness. Well, at least we were still moving. Another cold comfort.


	23. Chapter 23: Candy and Nooses

**Chapter 23**

**Room One**

**Rated: T (Language, death)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language, Death, Darkness.**

**Disclaimer: This story is a work of fanfiction. I'd be flattered to get sued over it, but please don't.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Swimming In A Lovely Sea Of You" By Michael Whalen. **

**A/N: LOL. My Warnings sound like some sort of goth heavy metal song. Apologies.**

* * *

I didn't know how long it took. It could have been anywhere from an hour to five hours, but something finally appeared. It was an old fashioned wooden chair. At first the image was slightly transparent, jittery below me. After that appeared, everything suddenly materialized so quickly that I could barely discern what was happening.

When I could finally get a grasp that the elevator had stopped, I stumbled forwards and pounded on the door until it opened with a 'ding'.

I staggered out, losing my footing slightly. That was weird. I stamped my foot against the ground, and there was no noise, even though the floor was wooden.

The room was cold, as if the gelid fingers of the bitter outside air had slipped in through the cracks in the floorboards, the gap at the bottom of the window, under the front door, and any nook and cranny it could get into. I shivered, and examined the room around me. It was a small room, furnished with only a bare wardrobe whose door stood ajar, a metal-framed bed with a spotlessly clean but worn looking white blanket laid over it and a wooden chair and desk in the corner of the room.

I glanced behind me and discovered that the elevator had vanished.

I came to realize that I could hear two adults arguing downstairs, although the sound was muffled by the door and the distance. There was a woman, who was shouting desperately, her voice high with what I think was panic, and yet still dulcet and melodious. I heard a man, who was arguing in a calmer manner. His voice was cold and controlling.

There were light footsteps slowly advancing up the stairs. I froze as they stopped outside the door, and it opened. A boy who looked about 7 walked in. He was wearing what looked liked a school uniform, although it appeared to be anachronistic. On his head he wore a metal contraption that pulled his mouth up into a ghastly, painful smile, revealing his perfectly straight and white teeth.

I staggered back, my mind racing, trying to make up a good excuse for being here.

He looked straight past me, not seeming to notice me at all. That struck me as odd.

"Hello?" I voiced.

He ignored me.

"Sorry I'm in your room. I accidently pressed the wrong button on the elevator and it probably went into some black hole and now I'm here and the elevators gone and my story probably sounds like rubbish, but I take I'm probably nonexistent to you, since you're paying no attention to me whatsoever right now." I trailed off hopelessly.

Experimentally, I walked forwards and extended my hand to grab his arm. My hand came into contact with his arm for only a split second, and then it went straight through him, into an empty space devoid of everything. It felt like a vacuum, but instead of sucking my hand into it, it was sucking the very existence out of me.

I screamed and pulled my hand back quickly, not particularly enjoying that feeling. I gaped openly, panting, not sure what to do now. The boy rubbed his arm, as if he felt the extremely brief contact I had with his arm and shivered. He turned, closing the door behind him softly and went and sat on the bed.

He didn't seem upset by, what I assumed to be, his parents fighting. More than anything, he seemed indifferent.

I walked over to the bed slowly and put my hand on it. It felt solid enough, and I didn't fall through it, but I didn't move it either. It was a strange sensation, touching something that is supposed to be soft but not being able to move it. I tried grabbing the edge of the blanket and pulling it back, but it wouldn't budge. I sighed and sat down on the bed next to the boy. He smelt sweet, like mint and other scents that I couldn't identify. It was so familiar. Eventually, the shouting died down and I heard more frantic footsteps up the stairs. The boy got off the bed and hurriedly hid in the closet, trying his best to shut the door from the inside. I walked over too, and tried pushing against it to help him, but I couldn't do it.

The woman burst into the room, her alabaster cheeks flushed. Her hair was dark chocolate brown, almost red, and was tied back into an up-do. A few strands hung loosely on her face. Her eyes, glistening with tears, were beautiful, despite the sorrowful look in them. But the most remarkable thing about them was that they were an amazing light blue color that almost looked purple in this light.

She closed the door behind her and leant against it, sobbing to herself softly.

I watched as she walked almost hesitantly to the bed, and lift up the pillow. She reached under it and brought out a rope. She sat on the bed, as I watched in terror, and fashioned the rope into a noose with quick, adept fingers. I wanted to scream at that moment, but my tongue felt like chalk in my mouth.

She got up and dragged the wooden chair into the center of the room with a dainty hand and climbed on top of it, lifting her long dress slightly so that she wouldn't trip on it. I heard something fall out of her pocket at that moment, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. I was frozen, transfixed.

I watched, with frozen eyes, as she tied the rope to a hook on the ceiling and pulled the noose over her head. She exhaled deeply, and sucked in another breath. I saw her hands grip her dress tightly, and I ran over to the closet door, pushing against it desperately. It wouldn't budge but still I pushed. I didn't want the little boy, in all his innocence, to see his mother die. I shoved against the door desperately, trying to close that tiny little crack that allowed him to see, and I saw the mother kick the chair out from under her with a slight gasp.

A split second before the chair toppled over, the door finally closed with a 'click' that rang eerily through the room.

The woman choked a bit as the noose tightened around her neck, and a tiny bit of blood trickled lazily out of her mouth. She jerked around in a horrible dance as the life drained out of her, leaving behind an empty shell. With one more switch of her finger, she was still. I fell down to the floor, unnerved, terrified and many other emotions that I couldn't even begin to identify, my legs suddenly weak.

The wardrobe door creaked open and the boy walked out, gazing up at his beautiful mother hanging from the ceiling.

His expression was still blank, still indifferent, but his eyes were filed with childlike, yet intelligent, interest. He nudged her slightly, and bent down to pick up the thing that fell on the floor.

It was a small piece of candy. He smiled coldly at his new prize, and the door burst open. I felt sick and dizzy and confused by the boy. The man was wearing a white coat, like one of a dentist or doctor of some sort. His hair was greying, almost completely white and he was wearing a small pair of glasses.

He cried out, a horrible, heart wrenching cry when he finally processed what he was seeing. He stumbled forward, sobbing in anguish as he tried to free the woman from the rope that had taken her life. She flopped down to the ground when he untied the rope, an empty corpse. The man fell to his knees and sobbed over her, shaking her shoulders violently, trying to wake her from her peaceful sleep.

The boy looked down at them both, at the emotional display, and walked out of the room in disinterest, pocketing his newfound treasure.

The door swung shut behind him, and I saw that it now had the number '2' painted on it. I lifted myself off the ground, wanting to get away from this horrible place, and opened the door, welcoming the blast of freezing snow that came through the door and walked through.


	24. Chapter 24: Ashlyn

**Chapter 24**

**Ashlyn**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Prologue" By Byeong-Woo Lee. (A Tale Of Two Sisters OST)**

**A/N: Willy Wonka Fan: I'll try and upload the rest tonight! Or today, seeing as though it's about 3 in the morning. Can't sleep. XD ****I Think there are only about 8 chapters left to upload. :)**

* * *

The door melted into thin air behind me, and I stared at the rows of houses in front of me. They were exactly the same, every one of them, and squashed together. One house in the middle, however, had been 'ripped' out. Where it used to be, there was only a bare patch of earth covered with snow. I heard footsteps, and someone stood at my side, gazing at it as well.

It was the same boy, with the same uniform and braces, except he looked maybe a few years older than before.

His mouth gaped at the sight, and he dropped his bag onto the ground.

I figured this must have been his home, and something happened. I couldn't even begin to guess what, though. I felt an overpowering urge to comfort the boy, to hug him and to tell him it was okay. He stood there for about 10 minutes, and in those 10 minutes, a look of concentration had come over his face.

The sun had sunk lower into the sky, looking about ready to set.

He turned in the opposite direction and started walking. I hurried after him, not knowing what else to do.

He walked down the street and walked up the steps of one of them, knocking on the door.

A scowling woman answered the door, and her scowl deepened when she saw the boy.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"Good evening, Mrs. Braddock." He greeted her politely. "Please Ma'am, my house is gone. Will you help me?"

Her eyes narrowed distrustfully. "I'm sorry, we've no room for guests at the moment. You'll have to try elsewhere." She shut the door in his face and I stood in amazement at her coldness. The boy had already set off again, and I followed after him, listening to his footsteps crunch in the snow.

He knocked on a few more doors, but he was refused each time.

Eventually, he sank down behind a building, his face assuming an expression of defeat.

Suddenly, a beam of light was cast over the blanket of snow next to him and I heard the mewing of a cat. A young girl walked out of the door and placed the cat on the ground. She noticed the boy and gave a startled gasp. She was a pretty little thing, with rosy cheeks and sweet, icy blue eyes. Her blonde hair was braided down her back.

The boy got up quickly. "Excuse me-"

She ran back inside before he could say anything more, and I heard voiced.

"Mama! There's a boy outside!"

A middle-aged woman appeared in the doorway and peered down her nose at the boy.

"Bring him in. He'll surely freeze to death out here." She gestured to him.

The girl grabbed him by the arm and hauled him inside. I slipped through the door before it closed.

The house was cozy and warm, the fire roaring in its hearth.

"Sit." The woman pointed at the wooden chair at the table. The boy sat.

"What're ye' doing outside at this late hour?" She asked in, I assume, an Irish accent.

"I ran away from home, Ma'am. When I came back, my house was gone." He said.

"Balderdash. What do ye' mean yer house was gone?"

"It's gone, Ma'am. Ripped right out of the street."

She shrugged. "Well, it serves ye' right, running away like that. Ye' shouldn't have done it in the first place."

The boy lowered his head.

"What's yer name, boy?"

He hesitated. "Ronald. Ronald Heath." He said.

"Well, Ronald. Have you any place to go to? Any family?"

"No, Ma'am. My mother is with God and I have no siblings."

"You've surely got yerself into a bit of a pickle then, haven't you? Stay here for tonight, and you can sort yerself out in the morning. Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you."

"Ashlyn!" She called. "Take Ronald to your room. He can stay there for tonight."

"Thank you very much for your hospitality." He said politely, and followed the girl upstairs. I trailed behind him like a ghost. The girl smiled at him and they went into the girl's room shut the door behind them.

The door was labeled '3'.


	25. Chapter 25: Realizations

**Chapter 25**

**Realizations**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. If I did happen to own Charlie **

**and the Chocolate Factory, the movie would definitely not be rated PG.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Solitude" By Haketa Takefumi**

**A/N: 7 chapters left.**

* * *

I twisted the knob, and was instantly greeted with the loud bustle and chatter of the crowd.

I walked through and heard the door swing shut behind me. I didn't need to look behind me to know that it had disappeared.

I soon came to the realization that I was at a train station.

I could barely hear over all the noise, and I was in a particularly dangerous position too. There were people everywhere, hurrying about to get on trains and it was awfully crowded. I felt my hand go through someone, and gasped as I was pulled into nothingness. I staggered about, trying to find a less crowded place, when I tripped over someone's suitcase and fell forward through someone else. I went to gasp, but I couldn't suck in the air. Instead, it was sucking me in. I flailed around desperately, and threw myself backwards, out of the abyss.

The word suddenly reminded me of where I was.

I picked myself off the ground and looked back, relieved to see a familiar face. The boy named Ronald was sitting against one of the pillars, hugging his knees. There was an empty look in his eyes, and his hair was disheveled around his face. He glanced over to his right, looking at something and darted forward. He grabbed a piece of bread off the ground, and put it into his mouth awkwardly, his braces limiting the movement. I saw the looks of disgust people gave him and I felt a deep pang of pity for him, and wished I could do something to help.

I looked around and saw a man shove a sandwich in his bag, and sling it over his shoulder. I had an idea.

I moved forward, being careful to dodge the people and reach into the man's bag. I pulled with all the force I had, but I could move it. I let go, panting, and tried again. It moved a tiny bit, but I wasn't strong enough. I sighed, giving up and went back to Ronald, sitting next to him near the pillar. When I was sitting this close, I could really see what he looked like. His cheeks were slightly sunken beneath his braces, more so than before, and his skin was pale like his mother's. His eyelashes were long, and they framed his brilliant purple eyes-

Purple eyes.

I gaped at him, suddenly realizing, and wondering how stupid I was not to see this before. Hadn't I looked into his mother's eyes, and seen their color? Hadn't I noticed the slight hesitation before when he told Ashlyn's mother 'his name'? Hadn't I thought of how familiar he smelt whilst sitting next to him on the bed?

I exhaled suddenly, not sure what to think. Was this Mr. Wonka's past?

I felt my eyes tear up at the thought of him, and the feeling of longing accompanied with those tears. I slowly, hesitantly brought my hand up and placed it on his cheek, being mindful not to let my hand slip through. He looked around suddenly as he felt it, and I brought my hand back.

A man stopped in front of him and he looked up. The man bent down, whispered something in his ear and Willy nodded. I couldn't hear over all the noise. He got up and followed the man, disappearing into the crowd. I wanted to run after them, to follow Willy, but the crowd had swallowed them up, and I saw a door labeled '4' in the middle of the platform.


	26. Chapter 26: Down The Rabbit Hole

**Chapter 26**

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

**Rated: T**

**Warnings: Violence, Language**

**Disclaimer: I don't own, you don't sue.**

**Theme song for chapter: "My Immortal" By Evanescence. **

**A/N: 6 Chapters now. c:**

* * *

I went to the door, opening it up and looking at the inky blackness that stretched out in front of me. I took a deep breath and stepped through. Well, started to anyway. Where there was supposed to be solid ground, their was nothing and I fell forward before I could pull myself back.

I screamed, my hair thrashing wildly around my face as I plummeted downwards. You know those falling dreams? Yeah, they really don't do falling justice. Your stomach feels as if it's forcing itself up into your throat, excuse the expression, and spilling it's contents everywhere so you feel like you're going to puke but you can't because you're mouth is so numb. Pure, unadulterated fear shoots through you, sharpening your thoughts and your senses, so that you can feel every single terrifying second slip by unavoidably. But, the things that you feel in the present, the fear that you experience by those sensations are nothing compared to the thoughts of what will happen when you hit the ground.

I felt my arm snap as I collided with the ground, and I screamed in pain. At the time, I didn't realize that by the height of the fall and the hard marble fall, I should have been much more injured. My whole left side that I landed on should have been shattered.

The entire left side of my body was in pain from where I landed, but my arm demanded most of my attention. I'd landed on it in a way that it had snapped, or something. I couldn't be sure if it was broken, sprained or simply just hurting. I'd guess it was broken from the way I was screaming and the way it hung.

I lay there for a few minutes, screaming bloody murder, trying to get a hold of myself so that I could examine the injury.

I carefully lifted myself into a sitting position with my right arm, and looked at my left one. It seemed to be in the right place, no dislocations, but it was a bloody mess. There was a gash running from my elbow to about half-way up my forearm. I breathed in gasps, trying to figure out what to do next.

I pulled off my long sleeved shirt, luckily having a short sleeved one underneath for added warmth. With effort, I ripped a piece of fabric off the shirt and wrapped it around my arm, trying to stanch the bleeding, wincing. I didn't really know if this would help, but I had seen it on countless TV shows and movies before, so I figured it would. My arm felt tender and I couldn't move it without a sharp slash of agony shooting up my arm, but I managed to pull my jacket over myself again somehow.

I slowly came to realization about where I was. I was in a hospital. Fucking great. All this stuff around me made for treating wounds, and I couldn't even use any of it. I carefully picked myself up off the ground, knowing I had to keep moving despite the pain, wincing as I did so.

I heard voices from one of the rooms, and slipped through the door which was slightly open.

Mr. Wonka- Willy, was sitting on a chair, holding his arm out as the doctor wrapped a bandage around it. I didn't really know what to call him. Mr. Wonka was a name for an old man, but Willy seemed too… weird, I guess. I would have been more comfortable just saying Ronald.

"A terrible accident, it was." A skinny man with a high, sniveling voice proclaimed dramatically. I recognized him as the man from the train station. "Poor Willy fell down the cellar steps and hurt his wee arm."

I instantly distrusted him.

The doctor nodded patiently, and looked at him. "I trust you will take care not to let accidents like these happen again." He said, giving him a deliberate look.

Willy said nothing, and watched the doctor wrap the bandage around his arm. His skin had grown somewhat paler, drained and the area around his eyes were dark, since the last time I had seen him. His expression was indifferent, as always, as if his thoughts were elsewhere. On something better, more important than the present.

The doctor suddenly dissipated into thin air, like a trail of mist blown away by the wind. The clean, sanitized chair Willy was sitting on disappeared and it was replaced with a dilapidated wooden chair. The whole room vanished in a haze, and was replaced with a small, dark room without any windows. It was crammed with wooden boxes and canvas sacks. The man with the sniveling voice struck him suddenly, violently on the face. Willy's head turned at the force but he did not say anything. His expression remained uninterested.

"Whatever's the matter, young Willy? Am I too far beneath you notice?" He sneered, revealing yellowing teeth.

Willy moved his head slightly down, his metal braces clinking slightly as he did so. I couldn't tell if he was nodding or merely acknowledging the man's statement, until he answered.

"Yes, sir." He said quietly.

The man's already bulbous eyes widened in rage and he lurched forward, stopping his face only inches from Willy's, as if he was preventing himself from committing unspeakable acts of violence.

"What's that?" He answered, making an obvious effort to sound calm.

Willy lowered his eyes to the man's for a second, but looked away after a while, with passive eyes.

"Yes, sir." He repeated.

The man raised a hand and caught him on the cheekbone. Tears welled in my eyes, in sympathy for him. I wished desperately I could do something, anything, but I couldn't. I was just there, and nothing more. A ghost, if that.

Willy fell off the chair and onto the ground. The man thrust a kick into his abdomen, and Willy curled up on the ground. I sobbed and rushed forward, closing my hand around the mans fist as he raised it to strike. I gasped as his fist came into my hand solidly, without going through. The man frowned in confusion, and Willy peeked out of one eye to see what the delay was. The man shook his head, and sent his fist hurtling through my hand again. I gasped and pulled my hand back from the vacuity.

His hand crushed against the side of his forehead, but he still didn't cry out.

The man took a few steps back, breathing heavily still, and picked up the chair, throwing it on top of the boy. He winced as it caught him on his arm.

A door creaked open and a young boy poked his head through.

"Papa, there's a customer." He announced.

The man exhaled heavily, shoved another kick onto Willy's leg, and stormed off. The door shut behind him.

Willy got up, picked up the chair and put it back in it's place. He sat on the chair once again. A tear fell down his cheek, but his expression remained unchanged.

I looked back at the door and saw it was marked with the number '5'. I looked back at the young boy, injured and sallow as he was, not wanting to leave him in this state. But I knew that I couldn't do anything, and this was in the past. I stood in front of him, and extended my hand. I placed it on his face as I had done before, being careful not to let my hand fall through, and wiped away the tear.

He frowned to himself, but did not move his face, feeling the pressure of my hand.

I leaned forward. "It's okay." I whispered in his ear. I saw his eyes widen, and I think he heard me.

I limped to the door, and with a regretful glance back, opened it.


	27. Chapter 27: Daughter

**Chapter 27**

**Daughter**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I've said this 26 times before, and I'll say it again, I DO NOT OWN CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. Got it? Good.**

**Theme song for chapter: RANDOM SONG TAIMUUU! "Scrumdiddlyumptious" By Pogo.**

**A/N: And the countdown begins… 5!**

* * *

The first thing I did before stepping into the next room, or whatever you call it, was look at the ground. When I saw that it looked solid enough, I placed a foot experimentally on it, testing it's tangibility. When I was sure that everything was safe enough, I stepped through and the door disappeared behind me. I stepped out into the cold outdoors, immediately noticing and recognizing the figure that stood in front of me. It was Mr. Wonka. Not the boy with the braces, but the one that I knew. Or close enough, at least. His hair was cropped short, partially covered by his hat. He was wearing a brightly colored suit, magnificently tailored. I limped forward so that I could see his face, curious as to what he looked like when he was younger.

He was beautiful, as always. I was shocked to see that his face looked the same as always, except somehow more innocent and lively. His skin glowed, unlike his almost sickly pale complexion from when he was in the factory. His features were more youthful, not in the sense that they had aged and wrinkled, but that they knew less about the world and all it's horrors, even though he had experienced his fair share of them already. His brilliant, irradiant eyes were wide and full of curiosity, and his eyebrows were furrowed ever so slightly. He was looking up at a building, one of the many identical ones that lined the street, twisting his gloved hands.

Without notice, he suddenly started walking forward. I limped after him, struggling to catch up.

He knocked on the door, and waited.

After a few seconds, a bedraggled young woman opened the door, with long, silvery blonde hair falling in curls down her back. The area around her eyes were dark and her mouth was pulled down at the corners. She smelt of alcohol and tobacco.

"Good morning, Madam." He said, removing his hat. "Is Mrs. McKenna present?" He asked, his voice like velvet.

The woman looked at him, examining him. "This is she. Ashlyn McKenna."

Willy's face broke out into a smile. "It's me, W- uh, Ronald. Ronald Heath?"

She frowned not immediately recalling his name, but then her face turned into an expression of realization.

"Oh!" She gasped. "God, I didn't recognize you. You look completely different. It's been a long time. Um. About 15 years, wasn't it? What are you doing here?"

I heard a voice from inside the house.

"Mama! Mama!" A little girl cried, and I saw her appear by her mother's side. Her hair was silvery blonde, like her mother's. Her eyes were icy, glacial blue, her skin the color of ivory. I frowned.

"Ah. This is my daughter, Darcy." Ashlyn said. My stomach dropped, and suddenly the only thing I felt was sadness for Darcy. It was one thing picking up an injured stranger and they turn out to be a hooker, but it was another to see them as a child. So full of innocence, not yet corrupted. I'd never really contemplated Darcy's life before the present.

Willy looked down at her, still smiling, but eyes wide. He bent down. Darcy clung to her mother's dress, looking at the stranger with shy curiosity.

"Hello Darcy!" He said. "How are you today?" He spoke slowly.

She didn't say anything, just tilted her head down, smiling. He straightened up.

"How old is she?" He asked.

"She's just turned 4."

"Splendiferous. May I inquire as to who the lucky man is?"

Her face turned cold. "I'm sorry, do you have a purpose here?"

"I sure do! I was passing by and I thought I'd drop off a little thank-you gift in return for your hospitality all those years ago. Not many people have shown me kindness since, so I thought it was appropriate." He said. "Is your mother doing well?"

"She's dead."

"Ah." He smile dropped.

"She came down with a horrible case of the flu. Never recovered."

"Oh. I'm… terribly sorry. That's… a bad piece of luck, isn't it?" He grimaced and reached into his coat and pulled out a cheque. "Well, before I make any more a mess of small-talk, I'll give you this and be on my way." He passed it to her and her eyes widened as she looked at it. She was silent for a few moments, staring down at the piece of paper with wide eyes. She blinked and shook her head.

"I- Thank you, Mr. Heath. Ronald. Would you like to come in for tea?"

"Oh, it's okay. You'd probably have better things to do." He joked.

Ashlyn waved a hand. "Don't be silly. It's the least I can do." She ushered him in.

"Let me take your coat. The kitchen is that way." She gestured, and took his coat off, hanging it on the hook. Mr. Wonka walked into the kitchen while she hung it up.

She looked over her shoulder, and dug her hand into his pocket, and retrieved a small, purple wallet. She opened it quickly, looking nervously over her shoulder and put the contents into her own pocket. She shoved his wallet back into his own pocket.

My mouth gaped, amazed at her heartlessness.

"I'll put the kettle on." She announced, bustling into the kitchen.

I went to follow, but the door slammed shut behind her, in my face. I pursed my lips but then sighed, opening the door labeled '6'.


	28. Chapter 28: Reflection

**Chapter 28**

**Reflection**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language, Violence**

**Disclaimer: gnihton wno I. **

**A/N: 4.**

* * *

I stepped into a hallway, and realized with a sense of relief where I was. The walls were white and shiny, the very same walls that lined many of the corridors in the factory. I heard a man scream out, eliminating that ephemeral sense of comfort.

I limped up the hallway, grimacing as my weight pressed down on my aching left leg.

I saw a door that stood slightly ajar. Harsh white light streamed in from the room, illuminating the slightly dimmer corridor.

I squeezed in, and saw a man bound to a chair. He was stout, and had a florid complexion. His hair was evidently balding, and his worn brown suit was disheveled. Next to him stood a beautiful young man, whose face wore an expression of childish delight, despite the strange coldness in his brilliant purple eyes. I limped over, standing behind him.

"Why'd you do it? I thought we were friends." He pouted.

"I didn't-" He screamed again, in agony. It took me a second to realize that Mr. Wonka was holding a little remote control in his gloved hand. It was silver, almost mirror like. I pursed my lips, sickened.

"Fine!" He cried, panting. "I- I had to feed my family! They were starving, and a man offered me money for the secret recipe! Have mercy!" He whimpered.

"You could have used the money I pay you to work here to feed your pathetic little family."

"It wasn't enough." He cried, shaking. "Most nights we could barely afford to keep food on the table."

"Is this your strange way of asking for a pay rise?" Mr. Wonka asked, raising an eyebrow and giving him a sideways glance.

"No-" He screamed again. "Let me go!" He bellowed.

"Hush, now. You know very well that I generally treat people like you kindly. You know why? Pity. Empathy. That's why I don't just turn you all away from the factory and get better workers. But when someone pushes my buttons, well…" He leaned forward so that his nose was almost touching the man's, smiling sweetly and a graceful finger pressed down on the button once again. The man shrieked. Mr. Wonka smiled pleasantly, tilting his head slightly and straightened up again, releasing the button.

"Who hired you?" He asked.

The man shook his hand, and Mr. Wonka raised the remote again threateningly.

"Fine! Fine! It was Prodnose!" He cried, shrinking away from the remote.

"Please, let me go." He gasped weakly. I saw a trickle of blood drip from his nose and travel down his lips.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Not yet, at least. Was there anyone else?" He absentmindedly twirled the little remote in his hand, and brought it up, idly examining the small device. He paused, looking intently at the reflection on the remote. I saw his purple eyes reflected in the remote, lock with mine. I froze, my stomach twisting tightly. He tilted his head, and suddenly turned around, looking at the space where I was supposed to be.

The man was about to answer, but fell into silence, looking at Mr. Wonka at bewilderment and fear.

"Well?" Mr. Wonka demanded. His voice rung out through the room.

The man jumped and stammered. "N-No. There was no one else. I swear."

Mr. Wonka's eyes flickered back to him and he lowered the remote, pressing the button. The man wailed again, writhing in agony, even with the metal restraints shackling him to the chair.

Abruptly, he turned away and strode to the door, throwing it open dramatically. He turned and the faced the man, who was again looking at him in fearful bewilderment, then his eyes flickered to something in the corner of the room. A young man I hadn't noticed before stood in the dark corner, wearing a red uniform and a hat that covered his eyes. His strawberry blonde hair was slightly long, coming down to just above his chin. He was standing straight and didn't seem fazed by the torture that had just taken place.

"Take care of him." Mr. Wonka said simply, and brought the remote up again, holding it in an odd position. I saw myself in the reflection.

He looked at the spot I was standing in, and tilted his head.

"It's nice to see you again, Alice." He said, lowering his head slightly, and turned on his heel. The door slammed shut behind him, and it was labeled '7'.

* * *

**Bad Willeh D: U sit inda corner!**


	29. Chapter 29: Mirror

**Chapter 29**

**Mirror**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: Despite my consistent blackmail attempts, I still do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. **

**Theme song for chapter: "Ballroom for Ghosts" By Matthew Fisher.**

**A/N: 3!**

* * *

For a second, I was too confused to realize much of anything. How had he seen me? Was my reflection somehow visible to him? How had he know my name, if this was in the past? I was certain that I'd never seen him in the flesh before coming to the factory, and he'd certainly never seen me. Heck, I'd never been out of the country before. So how did he know who I was? So many questions rushed through my head once I'd gotten over the initial shock of the whole situation. He tortured that poor man who only needed to feed his family. Had the man died when he told the other man to 'take care of him'? I forced the questions out of my mind for the moment, and made myself to open the door. I decided to ask him about it when I got out of the godforsaken place. _If_ I got out, that is.

I stepped into a small room. It had a singe bed, a desk and a bookshelf. The desk held a few trinkets and books on it. It was cold in here, but I'd come to realize how little temperature really mattered when you had a broken arm wrapped in a shirt and when half of your body was almost shattered and beginning to bruise. The only thing I wanted to do at this very moment was go to bed. My face fell, thinking about warm blankets and heaters. A very shallow wish, indeed. I didn't seem to mind so much about blankets and heaters when I thought about the man, though.

The door opened and Willy walked in. He looked about 5 or 6, now. Younger than I'd ever seen him before. I was surprised to see that he didn't have the huge metal contraption on his head yet.

He came and sat at the desk, and absentminded smile on his face for whatever reason.

I walked over by the desk, holding my left arm.

He grabbed one of the little trinkets on his desk, a tiny plastic soldier toy, holding it up to the light in the middle of the room, looking at it. I wondered what he was thinking. He accidently dropped the soldier, and went to pick him up. Something caught his eye, and he hesitated slightly before placing the soldier on the table, and kneeling down before the desk. He opened the cabinet at the bottom of the desk, and I saw that it was filled with a bunch of random things. Paper, books, toys and even a little handheld mirror that leant against a stack of books.

Oh fuck.

I moved out of the way, a split second after I heard him gasp. If Mr. Wonka had seen my reflection, wouldn't the boy have too? I wondered if this was where supposed 'ghosts' and 'spirits' come from, those shadows you see out of the corner of your eye or the shape in your peripheral vision when you look in the mirror. What If they were simply some poor bastard who had stumbled upon the abyss, like I had? But then again, that'd be pretty unlikely. I doubt many people have magical elevators that can go anywhere, including the realm of the unborn souls and minuses, otherwise known as 'Minusland'.

Willy spun around wildly, looking at the spot where he thought he saw me in the reflection.

He looked back at the mirror, angling his head so that he could see me.

"Hello." He said politely, seemingly unfazed. "Are you a ghost?"

I was slightly taken aback by his directness, and I hesitated for a second. I shook my head, and experimentally ventured closer to the mirror, sitting on my knees beside him hesitantly. His eyes widened slightly in amazement, and he again looked at the place I was supposed to be.

"Am I going insane? Father won't like that."

"I hope you're not going insane, for my sake." I said aloud, absentmindedly, even though I was sure he couldn't hear me.

He frowned, confirming my suspicions. "Pardon? I can't hear you. Are you able to write, or pick up a pencil?" He asked. His manner of speech was impressive. Most 6 year olds these days can barely form an intelligible sentence.

I shook my head again.

"Oh well." He shrugged. "What's your name? And why are you in my mirror? Are you trapped in there?"

I mouthed the word 'Alice', hoping he could lip-read. He nodded, and I think he could understand.

"Alice?" He asked.

I nodded.

He tilted his head. "Are you injured?"

I nodded. No shit, Sherlock.

"I wish I could help you, but I can't see you." His expression was sad.

"Are you like a guardian angel?" He suddenly asked. "Angels are pretty and you're very pretty, and people always say that you can't see them."

I chuckled to myself, and shrugged, grinning.

"How'd you get hurt?" He asked.

My grin died suddenly, remembering where the injury had taken place and what would happen to him in the future. I could feel my face and eyes getting hot.

"I fell." I mouthed.

"You fell?"

I nodded.

"That's too bad."

There was a knock on the door.

"Willy?" A woman's dulcet voice called and the door opened.

Willy's mother smiled sweetly at the young boy, and I felt a tear spill down my cheek, remembering her death.

"Mother!" He lurched up and grabbed her dress.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Alice."

She raised an eyebrow. "Who is Alice?"

"The girl in my room. She might be my guardian angel." He said matter-of-factly.

The mother smiled adoringly.

"And where is this 'Alice'?" She asked, playing along. He pointed to the spot on the floor where I was supposed to be.

"She's hurt badly, mother. Her arm's hurt. There's blood all over her. I think she's crying now." He frowned slightly.

Her smile dropped, her expression turning uneasy. She leaned forward and placed a hand on his forehead.

"Are you feeling okay? Come, let's get a drink of water." She grabbed his arm.

"Wait! Would you like to see her? She's so pretty, mother!"

"How about you show her to me later? I've got scones in the oven. Would you like to help me put jam on them?"

He grinned enthusiastically, nodding. "Okay!" He turned back to me. "Stay here, 'Kay? I'll be back!" His mother bustled out of the room, and Willy followed, closing the door behind him.

There was an '8' painted on it.


	30. Chapter 30: So Close

**Chapter 30**

**So Close**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I totally own these characters and this universe! I'm a _millionaire_! See? Nobody cares. **

**Theme song for chapter: "Can They Do That?" By James Newton Howard. (I AM Legend OST) (Beautiful song, might I add)**

**A/N: Thank you to the reviewers! You guys put the bounce in my step. You literally make me feel like tigger. **

**Anyways… 2!**

* * *

I was suddenly in a small shop. It seemed to be a barber's shop.

A well-upholstered child who looked about 8 years old sat at the counter, looking utterly bored. He had golden hair, styled in a comb-over and his chubby cheek overflowed over the hand he was leaning on. A bell rung out as the door opened.

The boy immediately straightened up.

"Good Morning, Sir. How may I help you today? May I take your coat?" He asked.

I looked around at the customer, and I felt a pang of sadness when I saw who it was. It was Willy's father, the man with greying hair and sad eyes. He was wearing a coat the color of slate instead of a dentist coat this time, but I could recognize his dark eyes anywhere. His face wore an expression of worry, sadness and regret.

"May I talk to the owner of this establishment?" He asked directly. I heard a small crash from the back room.

The boy hopped off the stool he was sitting on and ran to the door leading to the back room. He poked his head through the door.

"Papa, there's a customer." He announced, and I realized with a sense of intense sadness that I'd part of this scene before, but simply from a different point of view.

A wrathful skinny man walked out of the door, closing it quietly behind him. His face was red, but he tried to maintain a calm expression. He smiled when he saw the man.

"Good Morn-"

"I apologize, I am in a hurry. Have you by any chance seen my little boy?" He asked desperately, holding up a photo of Willy.

The man's lip curled slightly when he saw the photo, but rearranged his features into what I thought was supposed to be a smile.

"No, Sir. Not here! Have you checked at the Orphanage? Or maybe Mrs. Miller picked him up. She's a suspicious one, she is. Always inviting little children over for cookies. Gotta watch out for that one."

"I was Mrs. Miller's neighbor for almost 7 years. The children that she always seems to invite over are her two grandchildren, and I am quite sure they returned safely to their parents house every time." He smiled politely, but his eyes were disappointed and sad. "Thank you for your time." He nodded to him, and hurried out of the store. I saw the man smirk slightly, and I hurried after Willy's father, tears streaming down my cheeks. The door slammed shut in my face with a tinkle of a bell. I gripped the knob, yanking desperately on it to try and open it, to bring him back. I didn't want Willy to be here anymore. I didn't want him to suffer. I didn't want the distraught father to leave his son, and return home empty handed. But as I wrestled with the door, I came to realize the '9' on it's front, and knew that it was hopeless now.

He was so close.

The door clicked and it swung open.


	31. Chapter 31: Office

**Chapter 31**

**Office**

**Rated: T**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: If these characters belonged to me, I'd be living somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. I'd have a nice, luxurious cabin near a mountain somewhere. It would have solar panel, air-conditioning, and hot male supermodels everywhere. The blondes will be by the pool and the brunettes will be cooking me dinner and the redheads will be weight-lifting. I, myself, will be locked away in one of the rooms with the blinds shut, playing CoD with a bunch of other nerds, ignoring the hot male supermodels and eating cookies. Speaking of which...**

**A/N: xSilentDawnx: I do believe I have forgotten to give you your cookie. Here is a whole basket full of 'em. No grandmothers of girl scouts were harmed in the making of this gift basket full of cookies. *Hands over basket*.**

**Last chapter before I can upload new chapters! :D *Awkward victory dance***

**Theme song for chapter: "Cold Hands" By Byeong-Woo Lee.**

* * *

I was in an office, this time. I was almost certain I was back in the factory when I saw that every single thing in the office was cut in half. Well, from what I could see of it, at least, given that the entire room was filled with piles of paper.

There were stacks and stacks of paper covering most of the floor, going all the way up to the ceiling, making it difficult to see much else of the room, besides the area around the desk, and the pathway from it to the door. It looked very surreal. I saw on the wall that the clock was cut in half, as was the desk and everything on it.

Mr. Wonka sat at the desk, looking at one of the pieces of paper. There was a pile on either side of him. He was swinging on his chair. I smiled, happy to see his familiar face and childlike mannerisms.

He looked exactly like I'd seen him last. In real life, that is. His hair was cut in a bob, and he wore a plum colored jacked. His hat was off, sitting on the half of a hat stand.

I walked over beside him, placing my hand on the back of the chair and peering down to the piece of paper her was looking at.

I recognized it immediately. It was the application I'd filled out to apply for the work experience program. I leaned over further, seeing whose it was. I saw the name 'Emily Andrews', and he suddenly put the paper to the pile on his left. I watched his face, my eyes roaming over his well-known features almost greedily, trying to regain a sense of familiarity.

He picked up another form from his right, and looked at it.

"Alice." He said with a small giggle, and I froze, wondering if he'd seen me somehow, although I couldn't see any reflective surface anywhere in sight.

After a few seconds of panic, I saw the name on the piece of paper. It was my name. My application.

"I wonder what ever happened to the Alice in the mirror." He mused aloud, absentmindedly. After about a minute of studying the details on the form, he shrugged and put it in a new pile that I hadn't noticed before, mainly because it was barely even a pile. It was just one form right beside the pile on his left. Now there were two in the pile.

He sat there for a while, and then sighed and got up. He went to the nearest pile, picked a bunch right out of the middle, causing the whole thing to collapse, threw a few forms away so there were three left, and put them in the small pile. I thought I saw Candice's name flash by.

He then picked them up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I opened the door labeled '10'.


	32. Chapter 32: Cherry Street

**Chapter 32**

**Cherry Street **

**Rated: T (Language)  
Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or anything affiliated with it. If I did, Willy and Mr. Salt totally would have hooked up by now. Wait. Um, wut?**

**Theme song for chapter: "Wonka's First Shop" By Danny Elfman. (CatCF OST)**

**A/N: TADA! Here is a brand-new chapter! :3 Thank you for your patience. Enjoy!**

* * *

I walked into a shop bustling with customers. It wasn't the horrible barbershop, but a bright, colorful, amazing smelling candy shop. I instantly knew whose it was.

Kids jumped around everywhere, waving money at the counter eagerly.

Mr. Wonka grinned happily, serving the customers as quickly as he could, reaching over the counter to hand out change and candy. I smiled adoringly. He looked so full of life, different from how I'd ever seen him before. His suit was a bright shade of purple, complimenting his bright, glistering eyes perfectly.

An old man wearing large glasses appeared at the doorway behind the counter.

"Mr. Wonka? There is someone on the phone wishing to speak to you. He said he was calling from St. Paul's hospital on behalf of Ashlyn McKenna. I'll take over at the counter for you." He said kindly. I couldn't see Mr. Wonka's face, because he was turning the other way. I did, however, notice how he tensed at the sound of 'Hospital' and 'Ashlyn'.

"Oh, much appreciated!" He exclaimed, and slipped through the doorway, allowing the man to take over. I trailed along behind him.

He walked over to the phone, which sat on one of the benches. I saw workers bustling about, making candy and the likes. This place reminded me a little bit of the Inventing Room back at the factory, with all the contraptions. Except these contraptions weren't as high class, and the room was filled with bright colors and light, in contrast to the somewhat dark room of the factory.

"Mr. Wonka speaking." He said, his eyebrows raised expectantly.

I moved closer, hoping to hear the other line. I put my ear right up next to Mr. Wonka's face, listening intently.

"-inform you that Ashlyn McKenna is on her deathbed. She has suffered a very bad wound to the head and despite our best efforts to help her, the damage is done. It was a very violent, sudden attack. She took a kitchen knife to the head, oddly enough. It didn't get the brain, but the skull was fractures slightly. By the time she was found, she'd almost bled out. She arrived unconscious a few hours ago, but has been slipping in and out of consciousness since. We were surprised that she had even made it this far, let alone still be conscious and capable of speech. She gave me your name and told me to send her young daughter to you, Sir. I believe she has no other contacts, and so we must ask you if you are willing to take the girl in until something permanent is arranged."

I was so close to him, and I could feel his breath stop as the man spoke. When he was finished, he exhaled suddenly, puffing his cheeks out and widening his eyes.

He didn't answer for a moment, but then he spoke. His expression was straight, unreadable.

"Send her to the orphanage. I won't be able to take care of her. I work 26/7, and I won't have enough time to look after the demon spaw- the child. Child negligence would be inevitable." He giggled slightly to himself. "Send Ashlyn my condolences and, er… farewells?" He grimaced.

I didn't hear any sound on the other line for a moment.

"I was just informed that she has passed. Thank you for your time, Mr. Wonka. Good day."

He hung up the phone without another word, and hurried back through the door, shutting it behind him. I saw the number '11' on it.


	33. Chapter 33: Nervous

**Chapter 33**

**Nervous**

**Rated: T (Language)  
Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: Ich besitze kein Charlie und die schokoladenfabrik. **

**Theme song for chapter: "Scan her again" By James Newton Howard. (Slightly random) **

**A/N: Turrislucidus: Ooh, thank you! :D "Hide the r..I mean **_**stories!"**_** (Before that moron deletes them again)****  
**

* * *

I stepped through the door, and was greeted with a gust of snow.

I was standing in the courtyard, watching Kim, Candice, Tim, Hayden and myself walk forward as the gates closed behind them, separating, them, us, from the screaming crowd.

I limped forward too, until I got to Mr. Wonka's side. I looked at him watching them walk forward. He was frowning, gazing intently at me, the other me. When she came close enough to see her face, I saw Mr. Wonka's mouth fall open slightly, and he drew back slightly.

I wondered if he remembered my face from all those years ago when he saw me in the mirror. Of course he had. Hadn't he looked at my name just before on the form and thought of the 'Alice' in the mirror? Surely, whilst thinking that, he had been reminded of her. Me. Whatever. Of course, he hadn't counted on the girl on the form to actually _be_ the Alice in the mirror. What were the chances of that?

Charlie looked up at his mentor with those sparkling blue-green eyes.

"What's wrong, Willy?" He asked. Mr. Wonka jumped slightly when his heir spoke and looked at him, closing his mouth tightly.

"Oh. Nothin'. Just remembered the whatchamacallits were in the oven. Ha ha." He straightened up slightly, and put both hands on the cane, leaning forward.

"You told Adrioomp to take care of those just before." Charlie pointed out.

"Oh! Musta slipped my mind." Mr. Wonka grinned uneasily.

"You're nervous aren't you?" Charlie guessed.

"Yeah." He admitted with a frown.

"Don't worry! It'll be different because they're older this time. And they look nice enough, to me."

Mr. Wonka watched as the group approached as still as a statue.

When they arrived, he went through the small, awkward speech as he had last time, Charlie standing by his side quietly, and walked up the steps. I saw now that he seemed slightly distracted, something I hadn't noticed at the time. Well, I probably actually did but just took it for his weird self. I hurried up with them, wincing in pain. I stumbled on the last step, and cried out as I fell forward, hitting my bad arm. I felt it move again, the broken bit crunching agonizingly.

The doors closed, and I saw the number '12' on them.


	34. Chapter 34: Journey

**Chapter 34**

**Journey**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer：私はチャーリーとチョコレート工場を所有していません。**

**Theme song for chapter: "The Sixth Station" By Joe Hisaishi. **

**A/N: Reviews are very much appreciated!**

**OffMyRocket: Oh, right! I found a little typo in that chapter and so I changed it, but I must've replaced it with the wrong chapter. Anyways, it's all fixed up now. :)**

* * *

After a few minutes of sitting there, crying and hyperventilating in pain, I eventually got enough of a grip on myself to haul myself off the ground with my good arm.

I hobbled forward, and pressed a hand against the freezing metal. I heard metal grind, and the doors opened slightly, just enough for me to squeeze through. I went through, the only light coming through being the light from outside the doors which closed slowly. With a final groan, they closed completely and I was immerged in darkness for a few seconds.

I heard someone strike up a match, and the room was slightly illuminated for a few seconds. The person who struck the match held it to the lamp until it was lit, and then blew the watch out. A small light was cast, just enough for me to see Willy's face bathed in shadows, his braces glinting as the fire danced before him. I heard a bit of movement, and then he started walking.

I followed closely behind him, not wanting to be lost to the shadows. I tripped slightly on a small stair that I hadn't realized was there, but managed to regain my balance before I fell. I went up the last three steps, and Willy opened the door quietly. The door creaked slightly.

Outside the door was the barbershop, bathed in moonlight. He tiptoed across the ground and reached into his pocket, fishing out a key. He unlocked the door, and walked out into the abandoned street, closing the door behind him. I slipped through quickly, and followed him down the street. Snow drifted lightly from the sky, drifting down to the ground. All was silent, except the muffled footsteps coming from Willy as he walked.

I struggled to keep up with him, but he just kept walking. My arm was throbbing painfully and I felt like I was going to throw up.

We went up the main street, turned down a few other streets and finally arrived at a train station after about an hour of walking. By that time, I was tired and out of breath, and my muscles frozen and aching. To my surprise he started walking along the tracks. I assume he didn't have any money to catch the train, or maybe the trains weren't running at this time. I forced myself to keep walking, to follow him.

He stuck close to the tracks, stopping a few times to sit down and rest for a while, for which I was immensely grateful. By sunrise, we were still walking. I didn't know where he was going, or if he even he knew where he was going. Suddenly, he collapsed, falling onto the snow-covered grass. The young boy moaned a bit and reached into his bag, ripping a small bit of bread off the loaf. He sipped a bit of water, and then forced himself up. I could tell he was weak and very tired. In this weather, I'm not sure how long he would last. Let alone how long_ I_ would last. But still, he walked on.

Eventually, after another few grueling hours, we approached a residential area. Willy seemed to perk up a bit at the sight, and started walking towards the nearest road, straying from the train tracks. I could feel myself shutting down, my legs only moving for the sake of repetition. I'd been walking for hours on end, and it would take too much effort to change my course of action. I noticed the houses were large and nicely built, so this must have been a wealthy area.

Nevertheless, I followed behind him, because I knew that if I stopped now, I wouldn't be able to move on to the next room, and I'd be stuck here, lost. I knew that if I stopped right now, I might not be able to get back up.

We arrived at the road, and turned down a street. By about midday, we arrived. I was dehydrated and my muscles weren't working right.

It was a beautiful house, almost mansion-like, and radiated elegancy. In the front, there was a snow-covered garden and a dead tree in the center. We walked up the path, and Willy stopped at the door, hesitating for a second, and then knocked.

A few moments passed, and then the door opened. A man with rosy cheeks and greying hair stood inside, looking down at Willy. For a second, he looked at him in loss, but then his brow furrowed.

"Willy?"

"Hello, Uncle." He said quietly. "I-"

"What on earth are you doing here?" He asked incredulously, but cordially. "And in that state! Come in, boy. You look frozen to the bone." He ushered him in, smiling.

I slipped in behind him and the door shut behind me. I shivered from the sudden warmth, and followed them from the hallway into the Drawing Room.

The place was cozy, but well furnished and almost extravagant. A fire roared in it's ornate heath, and the Uncle sat down in one of the chairs. He gestured for Willy to sit down, and he did so.

I collapsed gratefully onto a chair as well, my legs tingling uncomfortably, and sighed in happiness. Or relief. I licked my dry, cracked lips.

"Would you like tea?" He asked Willy.

"No thank you, Sir. I have another favor to ask of you though, if you don't mind. You have every right to decline."

The Uncle nodded expectantly.

"You might have heard about my father…" Willy started.

"I have not."

"He disappeared. I- I ran away and when I came back the house was completely gone. I didn't know what to do, so I asked some of the neighbors, but no one took me in. Well, one person did. I left the next morning though, not wishing to impose any inconvenience on them, and went to the train station. I was planning on coming to you, Uncle Alan, but then a man came to me and offered me a place to stay, after hearing from one of the neighbors about a 'Pesky runaway looking for somewhere to stay'. He said I would have to work to make up for it, but I accepted his offer gratefully. I did so for a few months, and he was so violent so I ran away and walked here." He said.

"You're always welcome here, Willy." He reached forward and put a hand on his.

"We'll sort you out. I'll try and make a few calls to find out where he's moved to, and in the mean time you can reside here. Now, let's get you into some warm clothes and something to eat. You must be starved to _death_." He said warmly, looking at Willy's gaunt cheeks.

They walked out of the room, and closed the door behind them. I saw the number '13' on it.

I sighed, and ignored it, stretching out on the chair, enjoying the warmth and relaxation. I was exhausted, and I'm sure whatever was coming next could wait.

I was _so_ tired…

I sighed, and felt my eyes close involuntarily, and I forced them open in alarm, and got up. I couldn't let myself rest. Not yet. I didn't know what would happen if I did, and I couldn't risk it. With a sigh and a regretful glance back at the fireplace, I lifted my aching self off of the chair and went through the door.


	35. Chapter 35: Beach

**Chapter 35**

**Beach **

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language, (Very descriptive) Gore, Violence.**

**Disclaimer: Je ne possède pas Charlie et la chocolaterie.**

**Theme song for chapter: "I'm Sorry" By James Newton Howard (I AM Legend OST)**

**A/N: This chapter is rather graphic. If you have a weak stomach… read it anyway. It's only words. xD**

**ShowerCurtainsTurnMeOn: OOOOH! *Squeals in delight* This is the second time you've been my 100th reviewer! You, my friend, are a legend. Here is a lifetimes supply of cookies. **

* * *

I was greeted by a fresh breeze, and stepped out onto pebbly sand. I heard the waves churn, and smelt the saltiness of the water. It was windy.

I heard laughter, and looked about for the source. Behind me, I saw Willy and another kid. Willy was older, this time. May 14 or so. He didn't have the braces anymore. The other kid looked about the same age, maybe a year younger. He had red hair that fell in curls over his forehead and shining brown eyes. I noticed that he was holding a kite, laughing. Willy was smiling.

I smiled too.

His 'Uncle Alan' and a woman I assumed to be his wife were sitting on a picnic blanket, watching them in fondness. The woman looked to be about middle aged, and also had beautiful red hair that was arranged into an elaborate up-do under a sunhat, reminding me of Candice. She looked at her watch and then over to Alan, saying something to him, but I couldn't hear. I saw Alan nod, and she stood up, her hand on her head to stop the hat flying away and yelled out to the boys.

"I'm going to pick Emily up from her friend's house. Would you like to come, or wait here?"

"We'll stay here!" They cried eagerly. Alan chuckled.

She nodded, grinning and went to the small car. It was one of those really old fashioned ones. I walked over to Alan, sitting on the picnic blanket beside him.

It felt weird walking on sand, when you didn't make any indentations on it. It felt solid, but exactly like sand at the same time. The feeling of it beneath my shoes what somewhat unnerving as I walked over to the picnic blanket. I watched the two boys play with the kite, smiling to myself idly. It was nice seeing him so happy, especially after all that's happened to him. It also felt nice to be sitting in the sunshine, even if it wasn't very warm. Can't remember the last time I felt the sun on my face. Every time I went out of the factory, it was always overcast, cloudy and glacial.

About 15 minutes later, there was a huge 'Crash' coming from a few blocks away. I looked over my shoulder, seeing if I could see it. A few moments later, I heard a piercing scream.

I saw a few people quite a bit away walk towards the sound.

Willy and the other boy ran up to Alan.

"What was that?" The boy asked.

Alan shrugged. "Not sure."

"Can we see it? Please?" The two chimed.

Alan debated for a second. "Why would you want to see it?" He looked at the two incredulously, but then shrugged. "Young boys. Always attracted to loud noises. Well, it didn't sound too far away.. Help me pack this up."

I hopped off of the picnic blanket and they began packing everything up, shoving the blanket and other objects into a bag. Willy carried the bag, and they started walking up the street. They crossed the road and walked up past the houses.

I could see it now that we were closer. I felt my blood run cold.

I saw an old fashioned car crunched up head first against a concrete pole. Alan stopped abruptly, his mouth hanging slightly agape.

He turned back to Willy and the other boy.

"Willy, Barry, stay here."

"But-" The boy named Barry started.

"Stay here, goddammit!" He jogged over to the accident, and I hobbled along after him. We got closer, and I could see it all.

The door of the car was open, and there was an arm hanging low from inside the car and a puddle of blood underneath it, dripping off of the fingers. Blood, flesh and brain matter was splattered over the windows and what remained of the windshield. I screamed when my brain finally processed the image that I was seeing. A young girl who, judging by her size, looked about five or six years old was half way through the windshield, cut into ribbons by the glass. Her blonde hair was matted with blood, and there were long, deep gashes all over the skin that was visible. The lacerations were so deep that they split open like a smiling mouth. I felt my throat tighten, and suddenly I was spilling the entire contents of my stomach onto the road before me. I fell down onto my knees, still retching when nothing else was left; the smell of flesh and blood was doing nothing to help.

By this time, Barry was catching up. He'd gone against his father's orders, but I couldn't blame him. Other people were approaching the accident, some screaming and some too dumbfounded to do even that.

Alan stood there for a second, eyes wide, and then fell to the ground on his knees, his usually rosy cheeks draining of color. I scrambled up off the ground, watching as young Barry slowly walked towards the wreck, eyes wide. He went quiet for a while, then just started whispering 'No, no, no.' repeatedly. He ran forward, but two boys in their late teens held him back. I assumed they knew him, because they were using his name to try and calm him down. He screamed and thrashed about, trying to shake them off but they hustled him to the ground, one of them hugging his back and the other hugging his legs. Still, he thrashed and flailed about, punching the ground and begging them to let him go.

Alan was just staring mutely at the wreck. Words could not describe the look on his face, and it is one that I will never forget to this day. It was the look of someone whose world had simply collapsed around him, burying him in it's rubble and suffocating him, bringing him down with it. The face of someone who had lost a loved one.

Meanwhile, Willy had walked up beside his Uncle and just stared with the same blank fascination as he had with his own mother.

And then, there was a moan.

With all the screaming, I'm sure not many people would have heard it, but I did. It cut through all of the other noise like daggers, stabbing into my ears.

The blonde mass of hair moved slightly, and a man finally came to his senses and ran up to her. I didn't blame anyone for not doing that before. In fact, I was surprised myself that she wasn't completely dead yet. The accident should have killed her instantly. The man dragged her through the window, his face a mask of shock at the absurdity of the situation, and I saw her head move a bit. With numb, unwilling legs, I walked closer.

Her jaw was dislocated, twisted on a strange angle. Her mouth hung agape from the dislocation, like a silent, ghastly scream. There were deep lacerations covering every inch of her face and there were still shards of glass sticking out from them. I could hear desperate, ragged breaths coming from her, even though her throat was slashed to ribbons. There was no way she would survive this. Even if they managed to heal the injuries, which was probably impossible in itself, the damage done to her throat would permanently effect her breathing.

Her head lifted up slightly and then fell back down. I heard the breathing stop, and knew she was gone.

Willy took a few steps back, then went slightly faster. Next thing I knew, he was running. I ran after him, wanting to be rid of this grisly and macabre scene. He ran and ran and didn't stop until tripped and fell, scraping his knees. The tears were streaming down my face unceasingly, blurring my vision. He didn't stop until he reached Alan's house, and he went in, leaving the door slightly ajar. I squeezed through and followed him. He ran upstairs into his room noisily, and threw his possessions into the bag he brought here. He threw the bag over his shoulder, ran back down the stairs and left. Willy slammed the front door shut before I could get out, and I was faced with the number '14'.

I fell to the floor, a sobbing heap. I hated this place. I hated it so much and I wanted to be rid of it. I wanted nothing to do with it, and when I was out, I would gladly take a bashing the head with a brick if it meant that I could develop some type of amnesia and forget about this godforsaken place.

It made me think of my mother, and of my friends and my relatives. It made me realize how easily and quickly a situation could change. How a beautiful day can change into one of the most horrifying and life changing moments in your life. How easily it could all be snatched away from you just as you're beginning to think that it'll be okay.

I managed to pull myself together and pick myself up. With a shaking hand, I opened the door.


	36. Chapter 36: Curious

**Chapter 36**

**Curious **

**Rated: T (Language)  
**

**Warnings: Language, Violence, Death. **

**Disclaimer: Don't sue me. The only thing I own is an asthma inhaler and a piece of chewed gum, so if you want to get high off the gas and chew pre-chewed gum, sue away!**

**Theme song for chapter: "The Drawing Room" By Midnight Syndicate. **

**A/N: Reviews are always welcomed with open arms and a creepy pedo smile.**

**xSilentDawnx: Tadaa! Betcha didn't expect me to literally update right now, did you? XD **

* * *

It was cold and drafty in here, but obviously indoors. I shivered. Somewhere to my right, something was dripping repeatedly.

_Drip, drip, drip_.

I waited in silence, too frozen and fearful to venture even further. I wanted to back up again a wall, but when I reached out to feel what was behind me, nothing was there. I didn't move. I didn't make a sound.

Suddenly, without warning, the light flicked on. The light itself was weak, and didn't reach the corners of the room, but it was a light nonetheless. The room was plain, with almost no furniture. In the corner, there was a pipe protruding slightly from the wall, water dripping slowly out of it and falling into a small puddle on the concrete floor.

A chair sat in the very center of the room, it's back positioned towards me. A young boy sat in the chair, his arms and legs bound together by rope. I could tell by the metal contraption adorning his head who it was, and rushed over, trying to undo the ties. After a while of grappling desperately with my good hand, I gave up. My left arm hurt far to much to maneuver into a position to grip the rope, and I was pretty sure my wrist was sprained too. Not to mention the rope didn't budge an inch, even using my right hand. I simply could not free the boy from whatever was going to happen. I just stood there, watching him. I soon came to realize the material beneath the metal headgear, wrapped around his mouth, preventing him from speech. His eyes darted around, frightened and apprehensive.

A few minutes of blissful silence, besides the boy's irregular, muffled whimpering went by.

"Humans." A voice rang out through the empty room and I flinched, gasping in fright. "From the time they first open their eyes, they are curious. And in that curiosity, they find a need. A need to know everything. A need that is far beyond what is good for them."

I whirled my head around in time to see a figure step out from the shadows soundlessly. I frowned, wondering how this was possible. Mr. Wonka's hat cast a shadow over his eyes, but I could see them glint in the darkness. His mouth was curved into a cold smile, devoid of warmth.

"And here you are, Alice, looking _exactly_ how you looked the first time I saw you in the mirror."

It took a while to process that he was talking to me. My tongue felt numb, but I somehow forced myself to speak.

"Y-you can see me?"

"Absolutely."

I gasped. "How? What? Oh god. What is this place?" I half fell to the ground, suddenly weak and drained, sitting on my knees beside the boy.

"This is the Abyss."

"What is it? Is it a recollection of your worst memories?" I had a hundred questions, thrashing about in my head, but somehow this one came out.

He chuckled darkly. "Not _nearly_ my worst. This place is an Abyss. I don't know how it came to be, or even how it exists. This is a place of impossibilities, defying the very laws of nature. The human mind, however, is very limited. The things that we deem impossible due to our myopic understanding may be very much within the realms of possibility, and we simply cannot perceive them to be. It is a recollection of arbitrary memories that have somehow stuck with me over the past years. Not the worst, most significant, or even the best. When this factory was established, I put so much of myself into it that I became… a part of the factory. It became a part of me, thus the Abyss was created. Somehow. They're usually different memories. Always changing around. Nothing is ever consistent around here."

"Are you real?"

"I hope so."

"How do I know you're not just another one of these memories? Just another one of these dreams?" I was sobbing now, the strength leaving me entirely.

He slowly crossed the room, and bent down beside me.

With a gentle hand, he placed it on my cheek, soft and delicate. I melted at his touch.

"Because I can feel you, see you, hear you and smell you. You smell like lavender."

I placed my hand on top of his, gripping to the only thing that was real and solid.

"How do we get out?"

"There's still one door left."

I looked around. "No there isn't."

"Look again." He answered simply, and nodded to the boy in the chair. I frowned at Mr. Wonka, confused, but got up, circling around the boy.

"Oh, god." I shook my head, staring at his jacket. There was a number on the pocket of his jacket, right over his heart. I saw the number '15' on it.

The pocket was bulging slightly, and I reached into the pocket with a shaking hand. It was a small, ornate knife. My hand shook so badly that it fell to the floor with a loud 'Clang'.

I shook my head again, looking at Mr. Wonka desperately.

"Don't tell me I have to-"

"I'm afraid, yes. I would offer to do it myself, but as you were the first of us to enter the Abyss on this occasion, you must be the first to open the uh, 'door'."

"I can't do it. I won't. Don't you have some other way to get out? Some random teleporting device that you invented?" I asked desperately.

"There is only one exit in the Abyss."

"Fuck the Abyss. This is shit. You're saying I have to stab the boy? To stab _you_?" My voice broke on the last word.

"Unfortunately, yes. But I assure you, it will not affect me whatsoever. This isn't a memory. I'm not quite sure what it is, to be honest."

"Are you sure? How do you know?"

"Because I've been here before. Obviously."

"Oh. Right." I took a deep breath. "So… I just stab him?"

"Yes. Make sure to stab it though the pocket, but it must go through and pierce the heart too."

"Will he feel it?"

"Possibly. I can't be sure. It's not as though he's a real person, but who knows?"

I took a shaky breath. "Ok, I'll do it." I bent down and picked the knife up.

I gripped it more tightly, and with a deep breath and a dickload of courage, I thrust the knife down into Willy Wonka.

I didn't miss anything as it happened. I saw the absolute fear in Willy's eyes turn into silent agony. The glow in his eyes faded as the blade pierced his heart. I felt the flesh rip at the force of the blade. I saw his very life force leave him, as the knife dug into his heart. He lay slack on the chair, and I just stood there, clutching the knife that was plunged deep into his chest. The whole thing was so barbaric, so absurd that a small, insane laugh escaped briefly from my lips, despite the steady stream of tears that flowed freely down my cold cheeks. He didn't die straight away. He lay there for a few moments, his muffled, guttural screams growing weaker and weaker until they died away. He was quiet, and he fell slack, his head drooping. I cried, looking into his eyes as he breathed his final breaths of life.

I placed my injured hand on his exposed neck, apologizing to him repeatedly, my body shaking with sobs.

His eyes bore into mine, and he stopped breathing.

"I'm sorry." I whispered a final time, despite the fact that he was now gone. I told myself that it wasn't real. He wasn't real. But the fact remained that I killed him. The memory of the man I lo- had feelings for.

Despite this burden, I allowed myself a small moment of amazement at his death. It was almost… beautiful. The life, along with it's feelings, it's memories, so gracefully leaving it's vessel and flowing into the unknown without sign or signal. I would attempt to describe it, the way it feels to hold someone you felt such deep affection towards, and with a single action take away their life, but I feel that words would not be sufficient. Another small teardrop fell from my eye onto his pale cheek, and with stiff fingers, released my tight clutch on the hilt. I waited for a second, expecting something to happen now that the deed was done.

Nothing happened, thus far. No burst of white light, no fireworks, no plastic bags or even a house of cards. I looked over my shoulder to where Mr. Wonka stood, expectantly, angrily wiping my cheeks.

"What now?" I asked, my voice breaking slightly at the end.

He nodded towards the boy, and I looked over at him.

Then I saw it.

A luminous blue light was creeping up from the deep cut in boys chest, climbing up the knife slowly. The light, it was beautiful. It almost looked like smoke. Tendrils reached up and wrapped themselves around the knife, climbing higher and higher every time in spiral around the blade and hilt.

I watched, transfixed as the light spread through the boy, flowing gracefully over and in him. A tendril travelled up his chest, through his shoulders, and I saw it appear on the exposed skin of his neck. It flowed over his jaw, making strange patterns until it reached his eyes. They glowed bright blue, a harsh light streaming out of them, and they didn't stop until he was completely covered. Soon, every inch of him had been covered in the mysterious smoke-like light.

I wanted to look back at Mr. Wonka, ask him what was going to happen, but I couldn't tear my eyes from him. I was transfixed.

Suddenly, his forehead cracked open. My mouth fell open. Light streamed out of his forehead, and inside there was nothing else but light.

The crack travelled straight down him, little cracks sprouting out of the bigger one. The light streamed out from him so harshly, so violently and brilliantly, that I staggered back, shielding my eyes from the intensity.

He collapsed into a pile of blue smoke on the ground, and it flowed together into a slightly thick line that was about a meter long. The smoky light surged directly upwards and then froze suddenly, with a slight cracking sound. It became solid, and the newly formed door swung open.

I heard footsteps, and Mr. Wonka stood beside me. I looked up at him, and saw that he was also gazing at me. He smiled when my eyes met his. I looked down, and shyly but determinedly grabbed his hand, gesturing with a nod to the door. He started walking through the door, and I travelled along behind him, still clutching his hand. I didn't want to let go. We walked into the glass elevator, and I felt the door shut and disappear behind me. I could've sworn I heard the faintest sound of a child giggling as I stepped through the glowing blue door. I shivered.

Holding my breath, I pressed the 'Guest Rooms' button.

It lit up, and I felt the elevator shake slightly as it travelled. I peeked up at Mr. Wonka, and found him staring back at me. I looked away.

Outside of the elevator was only a sea of inky blackness. I gazed out of it, losing myself in my thoughts.

It wasn't until Mr. Wonka cleared his throat that I once again became aware of his presence, absorbed as I was. I also came to realize that I was gripping his hand tightly, and released my hold. I busied that hand with supporting my other arm.

I couldn't tell how long we stood in silence in this Stygian void, but time did what it did. It passed.


	37. Chapter 37: Reality

**Chapter 37**

**Reality**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: For once, my brain has run out of witty disclaimers, so I'm not even going to bother putting one. **

**A/N: I don't have anything to put here either, so I'll just take this opportunity to beg shamelessly for reviews. Oh, that and a quick apology about how the chapter is so short. **

* * *

After what seemed like hours, I became aware of a faint, but distinct, light in the distance. The elevator reeled towards the light, and before I knew it, I was plunged into 'Reality'. I vaguely wondered why I hadn't seen Minusland, but dismissed it. Curiosity was a luxury and luxuries were not a necessity. We probably did pass it at some point, but I was simply too lost in my own world to notice.

I soon became aware of the familiar surroundings of the factory. The mechanical machines, pipes, gadget and fireworks. I looked below us and saw that there was nothing there. No blackness, no Abyss. Just more machinery.

I exhaled deeply. I'd never felt such a strong feeling of relief in my life. So relieved, in fact, that I felt my eyes tearing up. We were back. We were finally back. Finally out of that desolate, nightmarish place. The Elevator twisted and turned repeatedly, and within a few minutes we finally arrived at our destination. The doors opened with a 'Ding' and I staggered out, breathing in the familiar smell and sobbing in joy.

I heard a voice.

"Alice?" I heard Kim say in a shocked voice. I heard her footsteps as she approached me.

"Kim!" I almost screamed in delight when I saw her face.

"Holy shit. What the hell happened to you?" She demanded, grabbing my shoulders.

"Nothing. Nothing happened to me." I assured her in a frantic voice. My whole body was shaking uncontrollably, but I laughed. I must have looked and sounded completely unhinged to her.

"Oh my god, you're bleeding! Wonka, get her to the hospital!" She yelled. I swayed slightly, my head swimming.

The last thing I heard was a scream, and then everything went dark again.


	38. Chapter 38: Chemical Reactions

**Chapter 38**

**Chemical Reactions**

**Rated: T (Language) **

**Warnings: Language, Willy/OC**

**Disclaimer: ****Now, since I don't actually own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I'm supposed to write a disclaimer here to say that I don't own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.**

**But you know what? It would be much more simpler if I could just **_**kill**_** anyone who stands in the way of me and Willy Wonka.**

**In fact, if it weren't for law enforcement and physics, then I'd be UNSTOPPABLE!**

**Unfortunately, it seems that law enforcement and physics just won't go away.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Sunrise On Lake Pontchartrain" By Alexandre Desplat.**

**A/N: Here's another chapter, seeing as though the last one was tiny. The same principle of the last almost 40 chapters holds true; REVIEW!**

* * *

I woke up, feeling a dull, throbbing ache throughout my entire body.

My eyes opened and went to sit up, when I realized both of my arms were bound. My left arm was in a cast and sling, and there was a tight bandage wrapped around my wrist, and another around the elbow, restricting my movement. It felt weird, not being able to rub your eyes after waking up.

I looked over to my right, where someone was sitting, their face covered by the newspaper.

"Mr. Wonka?" My voice sounded hoarse and quiet, unlike myself. I cleared my throat.

The newspaper lowered with a loud crumpling sound, and I furrowed my brow, disappointed.

"Just me." Tim said. "Mr. Wonka is out, actually."

"He is? Where'd he go?" My speech was slurred.

He shrugged. "He didn't tell me. The only thing he said was to stay until you woke up."

"How long was I asleep?"

"Two days, more or less."

"Oh god. Sorry. Were you here for two days?"

"No. About four hours. He left four hours ago."

I frowned, crestfallen. "He should have woke me." I said, wishing I had the chance to speak to him.

"You needed to rest. Your were dehydrated, not to mention half of your body was almost shattered, your arms was broken, you had a huge gash, your other wrist was broken and you sprained your ankle."

My eyes widened. "I sprained my ankle?" Never noticed, actually. Must have been when I tripped on the steps.

"Yep. After an accident like that, we were surprised you were even conscious afterwards. What _happened_ to you? You should see the bruises you've got." He shook his head in disbelief.

"One minute you were at dinner, the next you were gone. After dinner, you weren't in your room or anything when we came looking for you. Then all of the sudden, we see Mr. Wonka and Kim dragging your half dead body into the elevator. Kim said you came out of the elevator, half delirious, and then collapsed. Mr. Wonka wouldn't say anything about it when we asked, and just tried to change the subject every time we brought it up."

"I fell down the rabbit-hole." I answered. "In all seriousness, I'm not sure." What if it were just a dream? Probably.

Figuratively speaking, if this wasn't a dream, would I be able to tell anyone? Probably not.

"That's the most I've ever heard you speak, by the way. You never speak much. How are you holding up?" I added.

"I'm hangin' in there. Vocal cords are actually a bit sore."

I laughed hoarsely. "Ah. Do you know when Mr. Wonka will be back?"

"Nope, sorry."

I nodded, slightly disappointed. I actually wasn't sure if I wanted to see him. All the… memories had altered my perspective on him. But not entirely in a bad way.

* * *

I was allowed out of the 'Hospital' the next day. Mr. Wonka still wasn't back, to my disappointment. I rested, still very sore, but was glad to be back in 'familiar' surroundings. To my surprise, the gash on my arm had already healed up, with almost no scarring. I remember the Oompa Loompa injecting something into my upper arm, so I guessed it must have been that or something.

The Oompa Loompa told me about some special ingredient from Loompa land as he injected me with it, but I couldn't recall the name. Apparently it came from some tree native to Loompa Land.

Back before Mr. Wonka found the Oompa Loompa's, they'd crush the bark into a fine powder and mix it with a liquid to accelerate healing. Mr. Wonka took a few samples, aka the whole tree, back to the factory with him and came up with a highly concentrated and effective version of it. The only bad side effects was that it made me pass out shortly afterwards and made me feel high afterwards.

Right before I left the hospital, the Oompa Loompa told me I should be fine in about a week, at the latest. He told me to check back in three days, and if my arm allowed it, I would be able to return to work. I was pretty shocked, especially considering the extent of my injuries. There were angry bruises all along both of my arms, my back and some parts of my legs. There was a particularly bad one on my hipbone.

* * *

The day after that, there was still no sign of Mr. Wonka. Doris in administration informed me that he was called away to an emergency meeting and she was unsure when he would return. My right wrist had already healed and I could move it freely without much pain, only slight stiffness, but the arm that had broken, my left arm, was still pretty bad. There was a lot of improvement from yesterday, though. I noticed the bruises all over my body were beginning to yellow, some disappearing altogether. My limp wasn't as bad, too.

* * *

On the third day, I went to the 'Hospital' again. The Oompa Loompa examined me, and told me I was doing well, but my arm wasn't fully healed yet. He gave me another injection, and told me to rest up and come back tomorrow.

* * *

I returned to the 'Hospital' the next morning, and the Oompa Loompa declared that my arm was healed, and removed the cast. He wrapped it in a bandage as soon as it was off, and sent me on my way, telling me to take the rest of the day off, and return to work tomorrow or whenever I was ready. I agreed, and returned to my room, having nowhere else to go, seeing as though everyone else was busy with their assigned jobs.

At lunch, I conversed gratefully with my colleagues in the cafeteria, lingering for as long as I could, before returning back to my dreary room. I called John, apologizing and explaining why I couldn't meet him, because I was unconscious. He said it was okay, and I discovered that he actually lived a few miles away from where I lived. He suggested that we should catch up when I was back.

After a few hours of mundaneness, I had dinner, returning once again to my room afterwards. It seemed as if I was doing a lot of that these days.

I sat at my desk, doodling on a stack of Post-Its so that it made an animation when I flipped through the pages. It was strangely fascinating and time absorbing, especially for something so simple.

I was just beginning to draw the ball crashing into the stickman's head, when someone knocked on the door.

I got up, holding the stack of Post-Its so that I wouldn't lose my page, and opened the door.

"Oh." I said involuntarily when I saw who it was. My stomach was suddenly full of butterflies.

"Good afternoon, Alice." He tipped his hat with a small smile.

I couldn't respond immediately, somewhat shocked to see him.

"G-Good afternoon. Mr. Wonka." I stammered quietly.

"How are you?" Mr. Wonka asked in a slightly hesitant voice.

"I'm well. My arm is better." I answered in an equally hesitant voice. It was weird, talking to him like this. He suddenly felt so distant. So unreachable.

"Well, I just came to check up on you, see how yer doing.." He added after a slight pause between us, and went to open the door.

"Don't go." I said in a meek voice.

His eyes widened slightly, looking down into mine. I stood there under his gaze, vulnerable. There was a long stretch of silence between us, and he leant towards me ever so slightly. He slowly lifted up his gloved hand, brushing a piece of hair behind my ear. My breath caught, but I didn't move, still transfixed by his piercing stare.

His face was so close now. His nose almost touching mine.

My eyes fluttered closed and he softly brushed his lips against mine, not wanting to seem too forward. I surrendered to him, and he kissed me.

And right then, I finally knew where I was supposed to be. With him. By Willy's side. But then, the next moment, I felt unbearably sad. I didn't know what to do with these feelings, I didn't know how to take care of his heart. At that moment, I clearly understood that we could never be together. Our lives, not yet fully realized, the vast expanse of time, they lay before us and there was nothing we could do.

But then, all my worries, all my doubts, melted away. All that was left were Mr. Wonka's soft, sweet lips moving in synchronicity with mine.

The kiss gradually faded away and I wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face into his chest. I felt him tense slightly, but I didn't care. I just wanted to be close to him, to feel him and to have him in my arms.

"Alice?"

"Hm?" I maneuvered my head to that I could look at his face.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly in a high voice, grimacing. "I know you don't want anything to do with m-"

"I was wrong." I said, interrupting him.

His eyes widened in surprise. "Huh?"

"I was wrong. I admit it. I know I'm… young, and people always say how young people don't know what real 'love' is, but I'm pretty sure I do. Love nothing but a chemical reaction, involving Adrenaline, Dopamine and Serotonin, triggering a sense of euphoria."

My voice was rising, and I could feel myself beginning to prattle on but I continued nonetheless.

"Serotonin often gives us feelings of self-confidence, a feeling of safety and security. While I don't feel particularly confident in myself, I never have, anyway, I know that whenever I'm around you I feel very safe. Large quantities of Serotonin are typically associated with a sense of euphoria, which is another thing I feel when I with you and when you're not insulting me. Dopamine often causes a rise in one's blood pressure and accelerates the heart rate. Judging by the way I blush when I'm with you, that's another thing. The other effects of Dopamine are a s-" I couldn't continue.

Because he was kissing me.


	39. Chapter 39: Secrets

**Chapter 39**

**Secrets **

**Rated: T (Language) **

**Warnings: Language, Willy/OC**

**Disclaimer: I do not own a dog. I used to, but I don't anymore. But that's not what you're asking, is it? Oh well. Take what you get.**

**Theme song for chapter: "And" By Sea Oleena **

**A/N: Arcane Wonders: Yay! Thank you very much for you review. I appreciate your feedback!**

**IWillBeMe: MY BED. NAO. Oh, and only if we can call it 'Sparta' so when I'm introducing it to my friends… "This.. is.. SPARTAAAA"**

**Chocolategirlie: Thank you c: Here's the update!**

**WillyWonkaFan: Whai thank you! C: I'll try, but knowing Alice's luck.. Assuming Alice will live happily ever after and get married.. she'd probably trip at the alter and fall into a coma by hitting her head on Priest's stripper shoes he secretly likes to wear underneath the robe.**

* * *

The kiss didn't last very long. We didn't use tongue and it was more like a peck than an actual kiss, but for some reason it felt like the first. I considered this was because it _was_ the first with mutual consent, in a way. It was the first time I hadn't forced myself upon him, but rather, he came to me at his own pace. His eyes were closed, mine were wide open, the thing I was about to say fluttering out of my mind like the butterflies in my stomach.

I stared at his pale lavender lids and the graceful arch of his brow, stretching slightly over his brow bone until his own eyes opened and looked into mine, which held me and suspended me in time. His eyes, cold as ice. His expression, as warm and intense as fire. Icey blue and fiery red. Was that why his eyes looked so purple?

The mild shock wore off quickly, reminiscent of the kiss. I'd managed to collect myself enough by the time his lips left mine.

"I'm leaving in two weeks. That was the point I was getting at." I said, more quietly than expected. There was a slight pause.

"Yeah." His face fell slightly, but he was suddenly grinning. "Which is why I think that we shouldn't think about it! Y'know, make the most of the time we have at hand and see what happens when we get there."

I managed a smile. "I… Yeah. That's an excellent idea."

"Isn't it just? But…" His face fell again. "I'm probably older than yer parents. Wouldn't that seem kinda pedophwhachamacallit? What's that doggone word again?"

"Pedophilic?"

"That's the one." He giggled nervously.

"Pedophile is just a name." I offered, shrugging.

"Age is just a number." He responded.

"And jail is just a room."

"Precisely! Gosh this is conflicting."

"It is." I agreed. "Which is why you should live in the moment and stop thinking about the consequences."

"Like jail."

"As I said, it's just a room. Four walls meant to enclose you. Sometimes five, if the architect was feeling particularly creative that day." I smiled at him reassuringly. "No one has to know. It'll be our secret. One of many." I gave him a deliberate look, letting him know I wouldn't tell anyone about the Abyss. He seemed to understand, when he gave me an eloquent smile in return.

He held up an invisible glass. "To our many secrets." He toasted.

I held up my invisible glass in response.

"And to many more." And we tapped them together.


	40. Chapter 40: Bribe Money

**Chapter 40**

**Bribe Money **

**Rated: T (Language)**

Warnings: Language, Willy/OC 

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Besides this laptop, of course, but I kinda need it so I can access the internet and tell you all about how I don't own anything. So there. I own **_**almost**_** nothing. **

**Theme song for chapter: "Untitled" By Sea Orleena **

**A/N: Sorry for the late-ish update! For the last few days I've been super busy, stressed and generally down in the dumps. I had to re-write this chapter too. I wrote the original one ages ago and I re-read it and thought it was horrible and so I did it again. Updates will hopefully be a little faster after this one, provided the chapters I've already written aren't as horrible as this one was! Anyway, thank you to the reviewers! While it may not seem like much, your reviews actually put the smile on my face throughout the day! Sometimes I even read them throughout the day just to make that feeling last even longer. xD I'm such a weirdo. But the bottom line is, when I say I appreciate them, I'm not lying. **

**Guest: *****Gives cookies***** There ya go. :3 **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The morning light streamed in through my open curtains, rousing me from my light slumber. I yawned loudly, exhausted, but got up in case I'd be late for work.

I brushed my hair out, noticing my haggard appearance and the dark circles below my eyes. I didn't sleep well last night. My thoughts kept me up until I practically passed out. Usually, I'd be able to pull of an all-nighter without any side-effects and barely any fatigue but my body was still loaded up with drugs and I was still a bit under the weather.

I brushed my teeth and changed out of my pajamas before starting out for the Cafeteria, my workbag slung over my shoulder.

When the glass elevator arrived, I got my breakfast, which consisted of an apple and a glass of water. I had no idea why I always ate apples. I absolutely hated them. They made me feel cold. I noticed nobody had arrived in the Cafeteria yet, to my surprise. I must be slightly early.

"Boo!" I heard someone exclaim in my ear from behind me just as I was about to turn around. I screamed, jumping violently and spilling my glass of water all down my front in the process. I shot an angry glare at Mr. Wonka, who was giggling madly.

"That's not funny! You ruined my shirt. How'd you sneak up on me, anyway? I didn't hear the elevator." I demanded.

"Good morning to you, too." He grinned. "And that's just you being remarkably unobservant. I thought the ding was quite loud, actually."

I narrowed my eyes skeptically, but grabbed a napkin out of the napkin holder on the table.

"Well, you made the mess, you have to clean it up." I waved the napkin in front of his face.

His mouth popped open slightly. "But-"

"It's only polite. I mean, you don't go over to someone's house and expect them to clean up your mess, do you? Same basic principle."

"Hey, that's _my_ saying!" He gasped in outrage.

"What?" I frowned in confusion.

"Never mind."

I put the napkin into his gloved hand. "C'mon. You owe me."

"I suppose I do, then. How 'bout ten grand?"

"Yikes. You're willing to give me ten grand but not wipe off the water you split on me?" I chucked, grinning.

"Very well, then." He glared at me mockingly, and I shrugged smugly.

"I don't bite." I said reassuringly.

Timidly, he reached forward and dabbed a few droplets of water away.

"Alright, that'll suffice." I laughed, feeling satisfied that he wouldn't sneak up on me again.

He exhaled suddenly out of relief, puffing out his cheeks and passed the slightly damp napkin back to me.

"I trust you've learnt your lesson?" I asked. I heard the elevator arrive, and craned my neck to see who it was.

"Certainly." He agreed.

"Hey Hayden!" I called. He greeted me back and I took my half empty cup of water and apple to the nearest table, sitting down. Mr. Wonka came and sat down next to me.

"Morning!" Hayden replied after piling his plate with bacon and eggs and sitting down at the same table.

The three of us chatted for a while. Or, they chatted with each other. I sat back, nibbling on my apple as they poked fun at how much of a walking corpse I looked like. I couldn't be bothered retaliating. Kim and Candice came a few minutes later, followed by Tim and Darcy.

Once everyone was at the table, Mr. Wonka cleared his throat, claiming our attention.

"Good Morning, everyone!" Mr. Wonka said cheerfully, grinning his toothy grin.

"Morning, Starshine." Kim replied with a chuckle.

"As you all know, your stay here is coming to an end." He pursed his red lips slightly. "Which is why I think that you guys deserve a holiday! You've all been working yourselves to the bone and there's hardly been time to enjoy your stay here. You'll have the rest of the time you have here to do with what you please. Except under aged drinking. That's you, Kim." He shot a look at Kim.

"As a little extra thank you for your service, you all have the option to invite your family over for the holidays. Of course, all expenses will be paid for. Flights, transportation, etc. So call 'em up and see if they want to come, and I'll send over the tickets once you receive confirmation. 'Kay? Oh, please note that we will be having celebrations on both Christmas and New Years'. Any questions?"

Kim's hand shot up. "Me! Pick me! Pick me!"

I looked around the room. She was the only person with her hand up.

"You." Mr. Wonka pointed to her.

Her hand settled back in her lap and she grinned, satisfied. "Is it formal or casual dress for the celebrations?"

"I was thinkin' more... pirate-themed."

Kim was silent.

"That was sarcasm, by the way." Mr. Wonka continued after she didn't answer. "Formal wear is preferred."

Tim raised his hand and Mr. Wonka nodded at him.

"But it's almost Christmas. Airlines will be going crazy. How is it possible to get tickets at this time?"

Mr. Wonka looked at him. "What's my name?"

Tim look slightly bewildered. "Uh- Willy Wonka."

"Precisely. And more than half of the world knows that, too. I'm famous. Famous people generally get what they want."

"They do?"

"They do."

"That seems a tad unfair. Airline companies are very biased." Tim commented, frowning.

"No, they're not. It's just that famous people usually have more bribe money…"

"Oh. That makes sense."

"Glad we cleared that up." He grinned.


	41. Chapter 41: Refusal

**Chapter 41**

**Refusal **

**Rated: T (Language) **

**Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Theme song for chapter: Hm. Dunno. "Fuck" By Bring Me The Horizon. **

**A/N: Here is another chapter, fresh out of the oven! The next batch of cookies is cooking at the moment, too. There was originally a lot more to this chapter, but I'm taking too long updating and editing that chapter out so I'll just post part of it. I'm also in the process of drawing a picture of Willy Wonka and I'll post it up as soon as I'm finished, which will be a few days! :3**

**Also, I've finally found all of the character pictures! :D Yay. Go to my profile and the links are there!**

**geeRose23: Oh stop it, you. U makken mi blash. :3**

**chocolategirlie: Thank you so much ! :D**

**IWillBeMe: Aaaand that's why we have mothers! To clean up rainbow-puke. ;)**

* * *

I sat at my desk chair, my legs on the table, dialing my mother's number.

She picked up after a few rings.

"Hello?" She asked. I thought her voice sounded slightly distressed.

"Hey mom!"

"Oh, Alice! Hey. How're you doing?"

"I'm great. I was actually ringing to ask if you wanted to come here for Christmas! Mr. Wonka just announced that we can invite our families, and all expenses will be paid for."

She hesitated for a few seconds. I played with a strand of my hair. "Honey, I'm so sorry. I can't come. There's… there's been a lot of stuff going on and I really need to be here at the moment." I heard her voice break slightly.

"What's the matter, mom?" I asked in slight panic and concern.

"It's nothing." She said, trying to make her voice seem less grave. On the contrary, it didn't work. "It's really not worth mentioning here. I'll just tell you next time I see you! Oh, and I sent your Christmas present over last week. You're going to love it."

"Alright, bu-"

"Oh, someone's is at the door!" Her voice rose slightly and I heard knocking in the background. "I have to go! I love you. Bye." She hung up before I could answer.

I wondered idly if she'd met a new man, but dismissed that. Her voice seemed worried and grave, so I doubted it. I allowed myself a few minutes of panic and anxiousness, before telling the fretting voices in my head to shut up.

_Live in the moment. Enjoy what you have now before it's taken away._

Surely it can't be that bad, whatever it is. If it was she'd tell me. It was how our relationship worked. We told each other almost everything, and the things we didn't share were simply insignificant.

I sighed, slightly disappointed by her swift refusal. I'd been looking forward to spending Christmas with her, after all this worry about _not_ spending it with her. I shoved my phone in my pocket, got up, pulled my jacket on and flung my bedroom door shut behind me. I strode down the corridor at a brisk pace and into the Wonkavator to meet the others for breakfast.

* * *

**Again, sorry for the short and boring chapter. I'll make it up to you. :3**


	42. Chapter 42: Insomnia

**Chapter 42**

**Insomnia**

**Rated: T (Language) **

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Fluff, Language **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Theme song for chapter: "Misguided Ghosts" By Paramore**

**A/N: Again, sorry for the late update. I had computer troubles, involving a broken charger. I think that macbook chargers are stupid. They cost a fortune and last only a few months. -.- Anyways, here is another crappy chapter. Bear with me, I've written a whole lot more but it's just this section that needs rewriting. **

**And oh lordy, thank you, you amazing reviewers. I just checked them yesterday after not checking since I updated last, and needless to say I was very surprised. xD My friend even asked me if I was high because I was smiling so much.**

**IWillBeMe: Like a sir. Darn it, why can't I have a moustache? *****Eyes yours enviously***

**xSilentDawnx: Thank you! And I dunno… she might have sprained her ankle after that horrible fall down the rabbit hole. ;)**

**Turrislucidis: Yay! I'm finally able to type out your name without copying and pasting! Spelling level up. Thank you for all of your insightful reviews! I always look forward to reading them. :3 **

**Willy Wonka Fan: Thank you ! And I still haven't forgotten about that. :3 Not going to reveal any spoilers, but expect something to do with that over the next few chapters.**

**Guest: Eep. x3. You have no idea how happy that makes me. I always try to make my stories unpredictable and unprecedented, as those are the types of stories that I myself like to read. Thank you!**

**Dionne Dance: Why thank you! :D**

**Arcane Wonders: Oops! xD I shall fix those up right away. Thank you for pointing those out!**

**Anonymous: Thank you kindly for your review! I took great pleasure out of reading it, your opinions and thoughts, and I would probably hug you if that were possible. :)**

**Phew. That was a lot of reviews to reply to. XD Enjoy!**

* * *

"Boo!" Someone yelled from behind me as I walked out of the elevator after having breakfast.

You'd think I'd get used to it, but no. As usual, I screamed and jumped violently. After I realized who it was, I hurled a punch into the offender's arm.

"Ouch! Whad'ya do that for?" Mr. Wonka gasped, rubbing his arm.

"Stop trying to scare me! I thought you said you learnt your lesson." I yelled.

"To not scare you while you were holding a glass of water."

I face-palmed.

"Don't scare me. That's the new lesson. If you scare me again, I'll be punching your pretty little nose instead of your arm."

He smirked. "You can't reach my nose."

"Yes I can."

"No you can't."

I smacked his nose and he winced.

"Okay, so you can. Lesson learnt."

I smiled in satisfaction.

"What are you doing today?" He asked me.

"Well, I'm just about to head off to this mad party the local teenagers are throwing. Booze, weed, strippers and everything. Then after that, I'm going out with some friends and after that I have this thing I have to go to. Oh, I almost forgot, I'm going to a concert too. Then I'll probably loiter around the parking lot with the aforementioned friends and socialize."

"You social butterfly, you."

"That was sarcasm. I've can count the number of friends I have on one hand. That's including Candice, Kim, Tim and Hayden, too."

"Am I your friend?"

"It's a weird question to answer, now that I think about it. In theory, yes. I only didn't include you when I was counting because one hand seemed more significant."

"Oh, I see. You have a good point."

"But, um. Really, what _are_ we?" I mentioned after a slight pause.

"Humans. Unless.."

"No, no. I mean, what are we? We've established the point that we're friends and I think we agreed upon the fact that whenever I see you I get this strange chemical reaction, but is it considered a… I don't know. Are we like.. together?" I frowned slightly. Saying like that made it seem really strange to me.

He tilted his head. "Well, in theory, yes." He quoted me. "Kissing and a mutual acknowledgement of chemical reactions usually indicate so."

"So we agree upon the fact that we're in a relationship?"

"Yes."

I was silent for a while. "When I leave… will that be the end?" I asked hesitantly.

"That depends on whether you want it to be. As an aside, I think these matters are best discussed in privacy." He said, gesturing to the elevator that I had barely stepped out of. I followed him in and he pressed a button.

"You have a library?" I said when I saw the button.

"Of course!" He beamed. "I like to spend my free time there."

"_Wow_. You have free time _too_?" I gasped mockingly.

"Surprisingly. Actually, I happen to have a lot of free time." The elevator turned sharply and I stumbled slightly.

"But how? You work all day. Even on the day's off, you're usually working. Unless you're some freakish insomniac vampire type thing." I joked, once I'd regained my balance.

"You're half-right."

"You're a vampire? Knew it."

"No, the insomniac. Wow, I'm surprised ya guessed actually. I'm an idiopathic insomniac."

"What's that? A stupid person who can't sleep?"

He giggled and I stumbled again as the elevator turned a sharp corner.

"Idiopathic insomnia is basically a rare form of chronic insomnia, usually life-long and present from birth. My case is a little more, uh, severe. Meaning I sleep about twice a week if I'm lucky! Ha ha."

"Jesus. Don't you get tired?" I was frowning in disbelief.

"Yeah. You get kinda used to it after a while, though. However, with my profession, it's something of a blessing to me, especially when I was just starting out. It gave me more time to put into my work."

"You are an incredibly interesting human being." I said and the elevator hurtled to a stop, the doors sliding open with a ding.

"Just a question, doesn't the fatigue get to y-" I cut off mid sentence upon seeing his 'library'. It was huge, from what I could see of it. There were bookcases everywhere, some blocking my view. The bookcases went from floor to ceiling and were completely stacked full of books. And the ceilings were pretty darn high. The shelves were weird. They weren't just straight up and down, but rather.. curvy. If you were to get a look from above at the library, the lanes would look like snakes or something.

"Son of a b-." Mr. Wonka looked at me and I cut off mid-sentence. "B-biscuit. Yeah."

He stood back, grinning pleasantly at his collection.

"Why do you have so many books?" I asked in wonder.

"To read, silly!"

"You plan on reading all of these." I gestured around me, smirking.

"Already have."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope! I even memorized every single one of 'em. Well, almost. There's just that small bit to go." He pointed to a precariously stacked pile at the end of one of the shelves.

"No way." I scoffed. "That's impossible."

"Go ahead. Go get a book. Any book. I'll read it without looking at it, and you can check!"

I arched an eyebrow at him but obeyed, wandering to the nearest shelf and taking out a book at random.

"Title?" He asked.

"A Short History Of The Shadow by Ieronim Stoichita."

"Ooh! That one was interesting. Pick a chapter. Any chapter." He made a show of covering his eyes up and turning away from me.

I opened the book up in about the middle and skimmed to the nearest chapter.

"Chapter 4."

"Okey-dokey. Here we go; In his tseutche academie, Joachim von Sandrart defends the entire western view of a history on art founded on Italian pre-eminence. This, however, does not prevent him-"

"Okay, okay. I believe you. You're a freak. In a good way, of course, but still." I closed the book heavily with wide eyes, upon seeing that every word so far was an identical match to the book's.

"Now, onto that thing we were discussing before. Even your freakish amazing abilities will not distract me. We should… discuss this." I took a deep breath. "I think that when I leave, we should end our togetherness."

"What do you mean?"

"I have to leave in two weeks and when I'm gone, I think it'd be best if we call whatever we have off."

His gasped. "Why? Are you breaking up with me?" He gasped dramatically and pressed a gloved hand to his chest mockingly.

I tried to keep a straight face. "Of course not! But I've given this a lot of thought. If you happen to meet someone nice when I leave, then I want you to be able to be with that nice someone. See, if we were still together when I left, you wouldn't meet anyone new because that'd be considered cheating. I'd hate to limit your socialness. Not that you had any in the first place, but still. As a side note, long-distance relationships are incredibly hard to maintain, so I've heard.."

"Why?" He asked again, much like a confused child.

"I won't be able to see you again after this." My brow furrowed slightly, but my face was set. "At least not for a few years, anyway. I doubt my mother would ever let me visit you, and even if I didn't tell her about us, casually visiting London every now and then would seem awfully suspicious. When I'm 18, she won't have any say over that matter and it'll be a little less illegal on your part, too, if you get my drift. I doubt anyone would even wait that long for me, but s-"

"I would." He interrupted me.

"..You would?" I asked in a small voice.

He brought a long, gloved finger and ran it across my jaw lightly, nodding.

"Mhm." He murmured in his tantalizingly smooth voice. I tensed slightly and blood rushed to my cheeks.

"Stop distracting me."

He pushed his bottom lip out slightly, enticingly. I scrunched my eyes shut, brushing his hand off my face.

"This whole thing was a bad idea. I'm so stupid. Ugh." My brows furrowed and I peeked at him out of one eye.

"On the contrary, I think it was an _excellent_ idea." He said, pressing his hand against the wall behind me, leaving me pinned to it. My heart beat furiously in my chest at the proximity to him and I didn't dare move. My wide eyes were locked with him and at this proximity, his amazing fragrance was stronger than ever.

The chocolatier smelt like candy and cake; sweet and light, damask rose, blackberry, cotton candy and violet with floral and lavender undertones. A symphony of beautiful and delicious fragrances.

I resisted the sudden urge to shove my face into his chest and inhale the intoxicating scents.

"Maybe." I allowed. "Also stupid, though."

He leant in and placed a light, teasing kiss on my jaw before trailing his lips lightly down my neck, kiss me lightly, and back up again. I shivered.

"But you're worth it." I added in a soft voice just before his lips met mine. He tasted so sweet and I leant into him even more, savoring the closeness.

* * *

**Three cheers for pointless fluff!**


	43. Chapter 43: Top Secret

**Chapter 43**

**Top Secret**

**Rated: T (Language)  
Warnings: Language**

**Disclaimer: Ego possedere nihil.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Everybody's fool" By Evanescence. **

**A/N: Well, I'm nearing 50 chapters, which inevitably means that less people will want to read my story. I'm not sure if many people will want to read such a long story. At least I wouldn't. Super long stories intimidate me for some reason. I still have a lot to go which is also a problem, so I've decided to make the chapters longer from now on. **

**Turrislucidis: I actually never meant to make that connection, now that you pointed it out. I plucked a random name from the front of my mind and just used that, lol. xD**

* * *

Candice and I went shopping the next day. She told me she had to get something to wear for the Christmas party and I still had to get everyone gifts. I was planning on wearing jeans and a top or something but after Mr. Wonka said that formal dress was preferred, I suppose I would actually have to dress up a little. And seeing as though jeans and tops were the main articles of clothing that I owned, I would have to buy the clothes.

I followed Candice's lead in the clothing shops. She seemed like she knew what she was doing, and she seemed a little more fashionably aware than me. I think she somehow knew of my inexperience with things like these, because, to my relief, was attempting to help me. After we'd picked our outfits, we went gift shopping.

I ended up getting Kim a pretty silver necklace, Hayden and Tim matching hats with rabbits on them that I picked up from the novelty store, and Mr. Wonka a brooch with a tiny little clock on the front that I found at an Antique Store, which I thought was cute. As you can tell, I was a crappy present buyer. Ah well. At least I was actually buying them something.

After that, I told Candice I'd leave her now, to go and look for her gift. She agreed, saying she had to buy mine, too.

I eventually found a pair of gold earrings that I thought would look lovely on Candice. I purchased them and went to the Café just down the road afterwards.

I ordered my coffee, smiling at the old lady who worked there and sat down.

There was only one other person here this time, and he sat at the other side of the room.

He was skinny, hunched in on himself and balding.

I picked up the newspaper that was sitting on my table and sipped at my coffee.

After a few moments, I heard the door open, accompanied by the sound of a bell. The person didn't order anything, and went and sat down at the table with the man. I looked up automatically, and my eyes widened incredulously. It was Kim. I wondered what she was doing here, let alone with a strange man, but let it go. She might know him, or something.

I brought the newspaper up slightly higher, concealing most of my face but still allowing me to see.

I saw her reach into her bag and bring out an A4 sized yellow envelope. I saw him smile a horrible smile, revealing a set of rotten teeth.

"Here they are. Where's the money?" I heard her say in a low voice, but the Café was small and I could hear her perfectly fine.

The man reached into his jacket and brought out a smaller envelope that looked like it was about to burst and handed it to her.

The man grabbed the yellow envelope and flipped it over, slipping it into his bag.

I saw the words 'Top Secret' printed on them and instantly knew what this is about. My mouth popped open and I heard a chair scrape. Kim stood up, and walked straight past me.

The only thing I felt was betrayal and downright shock. I thought I knew her, to a point. I would never had expected her to go and do something like this. She always came across to me as a somewhat honest, albeit frank, person. She always spoke her mind, wore her heart on her sleeve. I assumed that because she was so open with her opinions, she wouldn't keep something like this. Even though they weren't my recipes, and I technically didn't even have anything to do with this, I felt like she had betrayed me. Betrayed Mr. Wonka. Took his life's work.

I folded the newspaper up hurriedly and left my coffee there, not planning on finishing it.

I got up quickly, grabbing my bags and stormed out into the cold after her.

"Kim!" I yelled.

She jumped and turned around.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, suddenly feeling very confrontational, which was much unlike myself.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit. I know you gave away Mr. Wonka's secret recipes for money."

"Alice, I can ex-"

"That's really low." I continued, interrupting. "Do you know how hard he's worked to get those recipes?"

I thought of all of the horrible things he went through, all of the death and cruelty he was faced with and how he overcame it.

She pursed her lips. "Just let me explain."

"Explain what? That you stole the recipes? I guess I assumed that you were a decent person who considered other's feelings."

She glared at me as soon as those words left my mouth, her expression hurt and angry.

"Why do _you_ care so much? You want another promotion? Or what, do you like him or something? Sorry to burst your ignorant little bubble, ratting me out won't get you any closer to him or his money." She snapped, losing her calm façade. "That's what you want, isn't it?" She smirked.

I couldn't reply immediately, taken aback and hurt at how unnecessary that accusation was.

"No, I care because those are _his_ recipes that you blatantly went and sold. They weren't _yours_, they were _his._ And I don't care that ratting you out won't get me any closer to him, because I'm going to do it anyway. You're such a hypocrite, you know. You constantly criticize Darcy for selling herself, when you're doing something just as bad. At least _she_ owns what she sells." I reached into my bag and brought out the silver necklace that I bought her and threw it on the snow-covered ground in front of her.

"Here's your Christmas present." I spat and started walking away from her.

In anger, I looked over my shoulder back at her, wanting to retaliate against her unnecessary comment, as childish as that seemed.

"Better get back in there fast before that guy leaves. He might want the necklace too."

* * *

I went home after the brief conflict, shocked and unsure. I felt terrible for the way I had spoken to her, having not even considered her side.

I rushed off into my room immediately, slamming the door behind me and getting into a nice, hot shower to help unfreeze myself and to have some important decision-making time. Showers were always the best place for the latter. I unwrapped the bandage on my arm carefully before I got in, and saw that it had fully healed. There wasn't even any scarring, although the skin was slightly red and stung faintly.

I stood under the hot water, letting myself thaw and repeatedly mumbling to myself something about what a horrible person I was.

I didn't know whether to tell Mr. Wonka or not. It was a hard decision, because I really hadn't considered Kim's side, even though stealing the recipes in the first place was wrong.

Mr. Wonka was rich. A billionaire at the very least, no doubt. Would it really hurt to let this one slide? It would be so easy, to pretend I was never at the Café, to pretend I never saw the exchange. But he would have spent so much time and effort into making this new recipe, so I knew that wasn't an option.

Mr. Wonka was a good person. I knew that, but there was this tiny voice in the back of my mind that reminded me of what he had done to the other worker who had stolen the recipe. Even though Kim had gone and sold Mr. Wonka's life's work, that tiny voice told me that Mr. Wonka was unpredictable as he was strange. His actions and decisions were completely erratic and mercurial, and I was worried for her. I felt bad for even thinking this, but I was just so confused.

I looked down, looking at my abdomen where I'd been stabbed. To my surprise, that scar had also disappeared. Probably the injection worked on more than just my arm, which made sense. I traced the newfound unmarked skin lightly with my finger. Only yesterday, there had been a slight scar there.

I stood under the shower for who knows how long, only starting back into reality when I heard my phone ring.

I let it to voicemail, but got out of the shower anyway, shivering as soon as I turned the tap off.

I got changed, dried my hair and just sat there for a while, not knowing what else to do.

I suppose I could go and look for Tim or someone to hang out with, but I wasn't in the mood for company.

* * *

At dinner, I was mildly surprised to see that Mr. Wonka wasn't there. However, Kim was there.

I sat there sullenly throughout dinner, not really conversing with anyone any more than what was necessary. I scraped a few pieces of food around my plate, not really eating anything and simply dumped it in the bin and left when it turned cold.

I went back to my room after that and talked to John and some other friends on Facebook for a while before I felt myself begin to doze off.

My eyelids began to grow heavy and I blinked, just beginning to slip off the edge of consciousness…

_Knock, knock, knock. _

I jerked, gasping, startled at the sudden noise. I exhaled, rubbing my eyes until it occurred to me that I should probably open the door.

I half-stumbled to the door, still groggy and opened it.

The grogginess instantly faded away when I saw that it was Mr. Wonka.

"Willy!" I grinned and threw my arms around him, glad to see him.

"Your enthusiasm is adorable." I let him go and towed him by the hand into my room, closing the door behind us.

As soon as I closed the door, my lips were on his.

I reached up, circling my arms around his neck.

After a while, I felt him grin and chuckle.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You're awfully ardent this evening."

I shrugged.

"I've got nothing better to do."

"And here I was thinking you were just happy to see me." He joked, grinning.

"Don't flatter yourself." I said, pinching his cheek. "Anyways, before I attacked you and before I do it again, what'd you come for?"

"Just to say hello. I haven't seen you all day. I've been busy with… other things."

I blinked. Oh god. Did he know about Kim? Or at least have realized that his recipes were missing?

"Busy with what?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

"Oh, nothin'." He said, smiling. I stared him down, trying to get an answer.

"Fine." He said, giving me a look. "What do you know?"

"What?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"I dunno. You just seemed like ya' knew something by the way you stared me down back then."

"It depends on what you're speaking about." I said.

"Alrighty. Well, I 'spose I could tell you. Remember that time when we had to go to Minusland to get the Oompa Loompa back?"

"Yes."

He hesitated. "Well… something came back with us."

I stared at him in confusion.

"When the door opened, something slipped in and came back with us. By that, I mean an unborn soul. It came back and kinda… haunted the premises for a while. By the way, that was what was making those loud noises at night. Turns out that things that haven't even been born yet can haunt places too. Pretty neat, huh? Anyways, I just had to get the little booger back to it's rightful place."

"Did you?"

"Well... no." He admitted.

"Oh. By the way, yeah, I didn't know anything about that."

"Ah." He smiled. "So, will you go back to attacking me now?"

I shook my head. "I… I um," I hesitated. "Not yet. Mr. Wonka, I have to tell you something." I had let go of him before, and was pacing slightly now.

"Yes?"

"I-" The door suddenly flung open.

"Alice, about before-" Kim shouted, striding into the room. She halted when she saw Mr. Wonka.


	44. Chapter 44: Explanations

**Chapter 44**

**Explanations**

**Rated: T (Language)  
Warnings: Language, Willy/OC**

**Disclaimer: Okay, okay. I admit it. I actually own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. That's right, the whole damn thing. **

**…**

**You don't believe me, do you?**

**Theme song for chapter: "Tears and Laughter" By Jonathon Czervik **

**A/N: ~THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO WILLY WONKA FAN~ **

**I hope you have a wonderful birthday tomorrow, and I'll post another chapter then too! :D**

**Arcane Wonders: Thank you so much! :D **

**OffMyRocket: Much obliged! **

**Chocolategirlie: Thank you :)**

* * *

"Oh. You told him." Kim said quietly.

"What? No I haven't."

"Told me what?" Mr. Wonka asked.

Her eyes darted between the two of us for a lingering second, and then she chuckled.

"Alice raped a little boy yesterday. And on that note, I shall leave." She shot another glance back at me and Mr. Wonka before slamming the door shut behind her.

"….Okay." I said, shocked by the brief encounter. I looked at Mr. Wonka. "And I didn't rape a little boy."

"'Kay, kiddo."

I went over to the door and locked it.

"Can I go back to attacking you now?" I asked.

"Sure," He said, with a smile. "…After you tell me what you and Kim seem to be hiding."

I hesitated.

"I dunno.. I mean…" I couldn't really think of a good reason not to. He had a right to know. They were his. "Just, promise you won't get too mad?" I asked hopefully. He nodded.

I scrunched up my eyes.

"I saw Kim sell your secret recipes." I blurted out before I changed my mind.

"Oh. That. I already knew." He smiled.

I was shocked out my panic and I peek at him out of one eye. "What?"

"Yup. I wanted to get those thieving candy-making cads back. I knew that they'd try to get their hands on anyone from the factory as soon as the Student Program started. One day Kim came to me and told that a man approached her and offered her a substantial amount of money to obtain a certain recipe of mine, so I gave her my recipes. Those recipes, however, were all fake! Well, they weren't exactly _fake_, they just didn't make the intended thing. I'd take a super impressive sounding recipe, and replace the ingredients with something else, like Exploding Candy. Heh. Ordinarily, I would keep every single one locked up in the 'Secret Recipe Vault', but I thought it was a pretty nifty plan to get Slugworth and co. back."

My face fell, and I gave myself a face-palm. "Oh god. I feel horrible now. Kim, she tried to explain but I wouldn't listen."

"That's okay. You can tell her tomorrow. I'm sure she'll understand. Actually, knowing Kim, she'll probably hold some sort of grudge but I wouldn't take it too personally."

"Thank you for your… reassurance." I yawned.

"You're most certainly welcome! Anywho, you should probably get some rest now. Tomorrow's Christmas Eve!"

"What's so exciting about Christmas Eve?" I asked.

"Nothing, really. However, the excitement that Christmas is merely a day away should be enough in itself!" He grinned. I frowned.

"Ok. So… Christmas Eve is exciting because Christmas is the day after?"

"Yes."

I shrugged, rubbing my eyes slightly. "Human logic."

Mr. Wonka was staring down at me, beaming with an expression of intense affection on your face.

"What?" I demanded.

"You're so goshdarn cute. It's kinda funny how innocent you can look, and yet still be astoundingly annoying at times."

"I'm not cute! Or annoying. Or innocent. I'm magnificent." I exclaimed with a flourish of my hands.

He giggled. "Your ego is the size of Africa."

"You can't talk. Yours is about the size of Russia."

"No." He said. "Russia is miniscule in comparison to my ego."

I chuckled. "If you say so." I covered my mouth, trying to suppress the yawn.

"You look worn out. Really, you should get some sleep soon."

"Yeah." I agreed.

"In that case, I'll be off."

"No! Will you stay with me? Pretty please?"

"Well, I shouldn't. You really 'hafta get s-"

I cut him off. "We can have a sleepover!"

"I've never been to a sleepover." He said, his brow furrowing. "Sounds terrific!" He grinned.

"Great! Wait there." I pointed to the bed, and he sat down on the edge of it, raising an eyebrow. I got my pajamas from the drawer and carried them into the bathroom, before getting changed and brushing my teeth. Once I was done getting ready for bed, I opened the door, only to stumble forward, tripping over my own feet and hitting my cheek against on the floor. I could tell it was probably going to bruise. Mr. Wonka had given up trying not laugh and was sitting on the edge of my bed in hysterics.

I walked up to him as soon as I picked myself up off the ground and plucked his hat off his head.

"Hey, give that back!" He managed to say in between giggles. I put in behind my back.

"Then stop laughing at me. Oh, and one condition."

"Yeah?"

"Say 'Alice is so amazing and lovely'."

"Alice is so amazing and lovely." He went to snatch it off me, but I moved it out of his way quickly.

I grinned. "Not so fast! Now you have to slap yourself."

He slapped himself and then winced. "Ouch." He cradled his hand against his cheek.

"Lemme see.. now you have to kiss me." I closed my eyes and pouted my lips, leaning forward in expectation, only to feel the hat being plucked out of my hands.

"Nice try." He said, placing it firmly back on his head before placing a small peck on my forehead. "Now, you should really get some rest."

He pushed me onto the bed, tucked me in and sat on the edge of my bed again. I pouted.

"You treat me like a child."

He chuckled, but then his face turn serious, kind of sad, almost. "That's because you are one."

"Hush up." I said, but snuggled up against him.

"Willy?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"By the way, I've never thought to ask, but how old are you?"

"48."

I giggled. "You're 31 years older than me. That means when I was 1 and just learning to speak, you were 30. Wow. That's… that's something."

He frowned. "Well, when you say it like that, that's horrible."

"It's fine. As I said before, age is just a number."

"It is, indeed. I take it you're a glass half full kind of person?"

"Nope. It depends. If the glass was poured only to the half way mark, then I would think of it as half full but if someone deliberately drinks out of it or tips some out then it would be a glass half empty. It's all about what happened to make it that way, instead of judging by what it appears to be now."

"Ah. The realist."

"You could say that."

"Nighty night." He hinted at me. Fine, I was pretty tired.

"G'night." I answered. "Also, don't stare at me like that. Or at least don't smile so creepily and intensely while doing so. I really don't want to turn this into an Edward/Bella situation."

"What else do I stare at?" He asked, attempting to drop his grin. It didn't work.

"The wall. You're hands. My hands. Take your pick."

"How 'bout the mirror on the wall opposite your bed?"

"What?" I demanded.

"That one." He pointed to it.

I frowned in disbelief.

"That can't be possible. I put that mirror away."

"Why would you do that?"

"Reasons. Hm. That's weird. Oh well. Do stare at it if you wish."

"Alright." He said and looked at the mirror. "Who is Edward Bella?"

"They are two fictional characters who each have the brain capacity the size of a tic tac. They are both off the movie 'Twilight', a wonderful epic about a weak minded girl choosing between bestiality and necrophilia."

"This is what people watch these days?" He asked in horror at my description.

"Apparently so. It's really not as bad as it sounds, but that's technically what it's about."

We were silent for a few moments.

"Willy?" I asked timidly, again.

"I… I hope you don't mind me asking. One of the rooms, the one you saw me in the reflection, and the man.." I trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

"Ah! Finally! I was dying of suspense. I didn't know if you saw that memory or not. Ya see, they usually change. There's never a set number of rooms, they're never the same memories or even in the same order. It's completely random. Now that I'm certain you did see it, I can put my mind at rest and explain. If you must know, no. I did not murder Mr. Hopkins, and nor did my fine young assistant standing in the corner of the room. He was sent off with enough money to sustain him and his.. uh, f-family until he could start a new job. That, and a quick memory wipe. Can't have him reporting me, could I? I needed to find out who sent them to steal my recipes, and he wasn't being particularly forthcoming.. Of course, now I wouldn't even think about torturing someone for information again."

"Phew."

"I mean, why do that when you can just drug 'em? So much easier and efficient. Dunno why I didn't think of it at the time."

I stared at him. "Well, yeah, I suppose." I blinked and shook my head slightly. "But wow. God, I feel bad for uh, thinking that you… Ugh. I'll shut up. I'm sorry, but usually in movies when someone says 'Take care of him' they usually mean the opposite, which is quite the contrary in your case. You actually took care of him. You're so generous. You should be a saint."

"Well, I _am_ very god-like."

"You really are." I agreed. "Sorry I ruined the mood." I laughed.

"You didn't." He assured me. "Well, I suppose you did. But, if I didn't do it then you wouldnt've asked. Hm. But, no offense, if you didn't go into the room, you never would have seen it."

"I didn't go into it willingly. I was going to go to the Main Hall because I wanted to get out of the factory, but then the buttons rearranged themselves or something. I was just about to press the Main Hall button, but it disappeared and Abyss appeared a split second before I pressed it."

"So then it is the elevators fault for ruining the mood."

"Good. I like that conclusion. In an effort to recreate the mood, I think you're very beautiful and extremely smart and that you should kiss me now. Better?"

"Mhm." He giggled and went to give me a kiss, but I pressed a finger to his lips, stopping him, after realizing something.

"Actually, you made the elevator. So…." I said, ruining the mood once again.


	45. Chapter 45: Christmas Eve

**Chapter 45**

**Christmas Eve**

**Rated: T (Language)  
Warnings: Language, Willy/OC**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Theme song for chapter: (Random) "Change" By Monkey Majik**

**A/N: Alright, well, I've run out of chapters to post. I wrote a whole lot in those few months I was gone and I seemed to have posted them all! It's gonna be weird, going back to writing stuff I haven't already written after this long, but I've been looking forward to it for ages. xD **

**Willy Wonka Fan: Glad you liked it! ^_^ Here's another one!**

**IWillBeMe: :O *****Points magic wand, moustache turns red with white spots***** Now it's a MUSHtache.**

* * *

My mind was fuzzy, the last remnants of a dream being chased away by the realization that I was awake again. It was a weird dream, something about drinking the fuel out of an airplane with a straw but the details were fading fast even as I tried to recall them. With a mental sigh I allowed my brain to focus and cautiously open one eye.

I was greeted with Mr. Wonka's grinning face right up next to mine.

"Good morning sunshine!" He said cheerfully.

I screamed, flinching violently before I remembered last night.

"Oh." I gasped. "Sorry. I forgot you were here."

He giggled. "Merry Christmas Eve!"

"I forgot that too. Ugh. Christmas Eve?" I asked wearily.

"Yeah! You'd better get up quickly. We've got a Christmas Eve breakfast to attend."

"What? You never told me about that. Why are we even celebrating Christmas Eve?"

"I didn't tell you? How odd. How odd. Anywho, we're not really celebrating Christmas Eve. It's more of a welcome celebration for everyone's guests who will be arriving at any minute."

I sagged slightly, wishing I'd been able to invite a member of my small family. "Okay."

I came to notice that Mr. Wonka had gotten changed already. He must have left while I was still sleeping.

Today, he was dressed in a rather dapper looking plum colored coat. At first glance, it looked like the usual style he wore but upon further inspection, it appeared to be made of a slightly different material. I couldn't even begin to guess what it was. The coat had very faint striped embroidery all over it, as well as tiny and almost unnoticeable patterns around the collar and sleeves. He wore a black waistcoat instead of the usual, simpler styled vest over an elaborately designed top. His pants were black, and he was sitting on the edge of my bed.

I yawned, rubbing my eyes and threw the covers off of me, staggering into the bathroom and brushing my teeth swiftly. Once I rinsed my mouth with water, I ran back into the room grinning, and wrapped my arms around Mr. Wonka's waist. I moved my hands up his chest until my arms were around his neck and eagerly pressed my lips against his. He squealed in delight.

"Merry Christmas Eve!" I exclaimed after a while, breaking the kiss.

"That's the spirit!"

"I'm going to have a shower." I said. "Would you like to join me?" I joked in a mockingly seductive voice and with a wink.

He giggled. "No can do. I had one just before, actually."

I pouted. "I don't know what's more devastating. That you left me or that you don't get to join me." I heard a small 'Ding' come from one of his pockets, and vaguely wondered what it was. Maybe a phone or something.

"Both, because in both situations you are being denied of my company. Actually, I should probably go and greet the guests, whom of which are here already! I'll meet you in the Cafeteria in precisely an hour." He bowed. "'Till then, my lady."

"Uh, one thing? Please make sure no one sees you… coming out of my room. That could look awfully suggestive."

"I'm like a ninja. No one will spot me, I assure you." He smiled, and left the room.

A few moments later, there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" I called, and got up.

"It's Kim." She said as I opened the door.

"Kim!" I exclaimed and hugged her abruptly.

"Nice one." She winked, nudging me. "I see Mr. Wonka got lucky last night."

I sighed. Fucking ninjas.

"Nope. Anyway, I'm so sorry about the other day. He explained everything to me." I sensed an opportunity, and took it. "That's… That's why he was here this morning, actually. To tell me. I'm really sorry about the way I treated you."

"Sure, sure. Either way, I don't care. Just be sure to use protection so you won't have to explain to your mother why you're suddenly pregnant. We wouldn't want little mad hatter spawn running around the place, do we? And that's alright, I understand. It would've looked pretty bad on my part, anyway. You say sorry a lot."

"I do. And I didn't have.. coition with him. Yuck. Why would you think that?"

"Sure." She pursed her lips together, suppressing a grin.

"Was there something you wanted?"

"Not really. Just came to tease you about Mr. Wonka leaving your room. Rawr." She brought her hand up in a claw, winking.

"Oh, right. Well, I should probably get dressed now."

"Right! I'll see you in the Cafeteria."

I closed the door and proceeded to pick my outfit for today, which was a simple pink or nude colored dress, accompanied with a sweater and my trusty old pair of mid-calf length lace up boots.

By the time I'd finished styling my hair and applying my makeup, I had a little over half an hour left.

I decided to ring my mother, and got my phone, dialing her number.

She picked up after the first ring.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Mom. Hey. Merry…uh, Christmas Eve." I said.

She laughed into the phone. "Merry Christmas Eve to you too. You're celebrating that?" She added incredulously.

"Not at all. However, Mr. Wonka managed to convince me that it was worthy of celebration, so I figured I'd call you to wish you Merry Christmas Eve."

She laughed again. "Another holiday doesn't hurt anyone. How've you been? I'm really sorry about not being able to come. I hope you aren't too affected by it.."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'll be fine. Anyway, I've been… pretty good." Hah. I've been freaking amazing. Well, besides the Abyss thing. But still. "My hair's getting longer. Almost down to my shoulders."

"That's nice. Shorter hair makes you look younger, too, judging by the photos you sent me."

"Younger? I already look like I'm 10. I don't need any help with that. How have _you_ been? Are you okay?" I asked, my voice tinged slightly with concern, remembering our last phone call and how… distraught she sounded.

"I'm hanging in there. What are you doing today, since you seem to be celebrating Christmas Eve?"

"We're supposed to be going to a breakfast or something in around half an hour to greet the guests. It's going to be really nice, seeing other humans and all. That, and I'd like to meet everyone's families."

"That's great, honey! Well, I won't keep you any longer. I'll talk to you tomorrow!"

"Mhm. Bye!"

"Bye, love!" She hung up and I sighed. I missed her.

* * *

When I arrived at the Cafeteria, I was surprised at the sudden change of the Cafeteria. It was still vaguely the same, but the walls were thickly striped, the color being varying shades of purple, instead of the usual solid purple. The whole room had been cleared, so that there was only a set of double doors at the very back of the room and a large table to accommodate the company. There were small name cards at each seat, along with plates, cutlery and a glass.

The huge window that stretched along the entire right wall gave a magnificent view of the city. It was breathtaking, the sun breaking through the clouds and filtering down onto the snow covered city. It looked like the frosting on a cake. In this case, an industrial, grey cake but a cake nonetheless.

But what was even more breathtaking –please excuse the cheesy line- was the Chocolatier sitting at the very end of the table, beaming like he was auditioning for a teeth-whitener commercial.

The guests were already at the table, conversing politely with each other at a reasonable volume.

I saw Kim with her parents, who sat on her right, and her brother, who was on her left. My glance lingered on Kim's mother for a brief second. I assumed that she was kind of old, my own mother's age or something, but somehow she looked so young. Well, not exactly young. She looked mature, knowledgeable and overall wise, but her features and her skin were smooth, No doubt where Kim got her looks from. Her brother looked like Kim, except a male version, except he was tall and lanky. Kim, however, was much smaller than him. More petite. The brother looked more like his father, who was also tall. His fringe hung slightly over his eyebrows, as he gazed down at his lap in what I could only describe as boredom.

Tim sat next to the brother, his parents on his left side. The mother and father, Mrs. And Mr. Richards both had blonde hair like Tim. The two chatted politely with Candice's parents, who sat across them.

Candice, like Kim's brother, was gazing shyly down at her lap. Her mother had pretty strawberry blonde hair that was arranged into an up-do. Her father was a balding brunet with a kind face, glasses and a cardigan. Sitting on the other side of Candice was her little sister. She had the same red hair as Candice, but it was cut in a bob. Frankly, it reminded me of a pumpkin. An adorable pumpkin, of course. Still, I'd pay a considerable amount of money just to put a green hat on her.

I saw that Charlie and his family were here too, which was nice. I'd seen Charlie fairly often around the factory and in the Inventing Room, but I hadn't really gotten the chance to talk to his family more than a few times. We met them on the first day here, and one other time when I was assigned a job in the Chocolate room.

Hayden, to my surprise, was alone. Like me. As I walked closer, I saw my nametag on the seat next to him and across from Mr. Wonka. Charlie sat directly opposite me.

Basically, it was a huge table, and I was 2 minutes late.

I sat down at my assigned seat with a small smile at Mr. Wonka, before nodding a greeting at Charlie.

"Hello Alice!" Charlie grinned.

"Alice! You're here!" Mr. Wonka piped, clapping his hands together.

"Why am I always the last one to arrive?"

"Because you're always the last one to arrive."

"…Right." I furrowed my brow, contemplating his response.

"Oh, good. I'm not the only one." I heard Hayden say next to me.

I turned to face him with a grin. "I thought I was, too. Phew." I was slightly curious as to why his parents didn't come, but didn't pursue the subject, fearing it would be rude or intrusive to do so.

After a few more minutes, Mr. Wonka stood up to give his fancy introductory speech. Fortunately, it was much less awkward than the one he gave me, Hayden, Tim, Candice and Kim. Breakfast was served promptly after that.

The Oompa Loompas came through the door at the back with large platters and placed the food in the middle of the table. There was a bit of everything. Bacon, Oreos, Pancakes, Cornflakes, and any other breakfastey food you can think of plus more.

I ended up having a bowl of cornflakes and orange juice. Not the most spectacular dish, I know, but I wasn't feeling too hungry either.

I finished pretty quickly, and just chatted to the people around me, making an effort to converse with everyone at the table. I found out Kim's brother was named Kevin. I could tell he was shy and didn't much enjoy public gatherings, but he seemed nice enough. Candice's little sister was called Olivia. She was pretty much the exact opposite of Candice. While Candice was quiet and introverted, Olivia came across to me as fun, affectionate and outgoing in an adorable way. I smiled to myself, thinking how much she would love the factory, especially the Chocolate room. This factory was like a child's dream come true.

Candice's parents were nice, too. Her mother, Suzanna was like Olivia. The father though was quiet, much like Candice.

Kim's parents were also very kind and I enjoyed talking to them. I found out the Mother's name was Linh and the Father's was Jianguo.

Tim's parents were nice although the mother, Leanne, was a tad bit haughty. I learnt that they owned some wealthy company and were remarkably rich. The mother fit the rich stereotype quite easily, but the father seemed pretty boisterous and fun-loving. I discovered that he was an avid soccer fan and supported Manchester United. I'd always envisaged Tim's parents somewhat different. Tim always seemed like a very laid-back, chill person and I assumed his parents would be the same or something. Not once did I think they were multi-millionaires. Tim was pretty quiet as usual. Not shy quiet, but the 'just happy to observe' kind of quiet.

I talked to the Buckets, too. The two older men, Joe and George, were good as ever, although George mentioned something about being somewhat unwell. Josephine was fretting over Charlie who kept talking with his mouth full and Georgina was muttering something about butterflies. Totally off her nut.

I actually had a nice conversation with Mrs. Bucket about different types of perfume. I decided that I'd go and buy Christmas gifts for the Buckets when I had some spare time today. It would also be polite to buy Tim's, Candice's and Kim's relatives too. Might as well while I'm at it. And just to be extra nice, I'll get Hayden an extra gift too.

Overall, I really enjoyed having company. It was nice talking to everyone, getting to know them especially after almost 2 months of antisocialness. Although, seeing everyone with their families made me miss mine. I shrugged it off.

After breakfast, Mr. Wonka announced that he'll be taking everyone on a tour of the Factory once everyone had been shown their rooms. He said that they'll meet at the common room in 20 minutes.

"That was nice, meeting everyone's families." I said to Mr. Wonka as we stood in the middle of the corridor, having just finished showing the guests to their rooms.

"It sure was." He agreed, nodding.

"Well, I'm gunna go get changed. These aren't exactly 'outside clothes'." I said, stepping a few steps away and making a gesture to my room.

"Where are you going?"

"Last minute gift shopping. I didn't really think to buy anything for the Buckets and everyone's family and I might as well go now, anyway. I've already been on a tour once."

"That's very thoughtful of you!" He giggled. "Yer' gonna _love_ your Christmas present."

I frowned. "You got me a Christmas present?"

"You can bet yer boots I did! I can't wait for you to see them."

"_Them_? There's more than one?" I asked in alarm.

"Mhm." He grinned widely at me.

"I feel inadequate now."

"Why would you feel inadequate?"

"I only bought you one present."

"You bought me a Christmas present?" He asked incredulously.

"You bet your boots I did." I quoted him.

"Why would you do that?" He asked, frowning.

"Why wouldn't I? I saw something that I thought you'd like and so I got it for you. It is, however, tiny and there's only one of it so that makes your gift better than mine."

"You shouldn't have bought me anything." He continued, shaking his head.

"Well, you shouldn't have gotten me anything either. Are we equal?"

"I suppose so.."

"Terrific." I grinned. "And on that note, I'm going to go and put something warmer on."

* * *

I went out once I was ready and caught a bus to the nearest shopping complex, which was about a half an hour ride.

I ended up buying a few perfumes for Mrs. Bucket, given our conversation over breakfast, including Parissien by Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel No.5. She mentioned her husband brought her the latter perfume on her wedding day and that she loved it, but had run out ages ago and never had the time or money to get another.

While I was in the perfume section, I found a cologne set that I thought Mr. Bucket might like. Of course, I didn't know him well and our brief conversations gave no hint as to what he might like, so I was kinda just guessing. Cologne was a pretty common gift, so they had to like it, right?

For the grandparents, however, I had no clue whatsoever what to buy them each, so I decided on a lovely hand-made quilt that could go over their bed.

I managed to come across a Manchester United Jersey signed by Ryan Giggs, who was a member of Manchester United. It was the perfect gift for Mr. Richards, Tim's father. The only problem was that it was framed, which would be extremely awkward and hard to carry back to the factory, given my size. I asked the shopkeeper if he could remove it from the frame. He reluctantly agreed after making it clear that he wasn't going to lower the price. I purchased it gratefully and shoved the shirt into my bag.

I wasn't sure what to buy for Mrs. Richards, so I simply got her a pretty necklace. I'm sure any female would like it.

For Kevin, I brought him the new iPhone 4. Yes, a very extravagant present for someone I didn't even know, but I noticed he was texting a lot throughout breakfast on an archaic Nokia 3310. That, and I had a ridiculous amount of surplus money. On top of that, I got an $25 iTunes giftcard.

I found a beautiful necklace that I thought Mrs. Chen might like. It had a delicate gold chain and a small but exquisite red Lotus pendant hung off it. For Mr. Chen, I simply got him a watch. Not the most imaginative idea, but it was quite stylish.

Shopping for little Olivia was fun. I hadn't visited the toy section in years, and I enjoyed picking out the presents. I bought a whole bunch of pretty dolls for her, including one that actually talked. At one time during breakfast, I heard her bragging about her doll collection so I was sure she'd love her presents.

I brought a digital camera for Candice's father, Mr. Harrison, and a digital photo frame. For Mrs. Harrison, I got her a random Prada bag I found that was on sale.

By the end of my trip, I was really struggling with all of the bags. Even so, I felt bad that I couldn't have bought Mr. Wonka a better gift. I simply had no idea what else he might like, but I didn't want to buy him a gift-card or some other impersonal thing. I thought I knew a lot about him, and I'm sure I knew more than most, so why wasn't I able to carry out such a simple task as buying him a present?

Buying him chocolates would just be… so stupid and ironic it isn't funny.

Jewelry was probably not an option. I couldn't imagine him wearing a necklace, ring, bracelet or even a watch. After a while of searching, I gave up. He was just too difficult to buy for.

* * *

I went straight to my room once I got back to the factory and proceeded to wrap all of the presents, sticking post-it notes to them because I'd forgotten to get cards and stickers. Oh well. Those gifts were pretty damn awesome, so I imagined it wouldn't matter all too much. It was good timing too, because about half an hour after I'd put the finishing touches on the last present, a post-it note, a knock came at my door. A small Oompa Loompa stood there, holding the handle of a trolley-like platform on wheels.

He bowed low as I opened the door .

"I have been instructed to inform you that if you, by any chance, have gifts you would like to give then I am to transport them to the venue of the social function." He piped with an extremely high voice, straightening up again.

"Oh, sure! Hold on, I'll just get 'em."

He pointed to the ones sitting on the floor. "Are these the ones?"

"Mhm." He hurried past me and began to cart them onto the trolley. His arms were so small that he was only able to carry one at a time, but he zipped between the pile and the trolley as fast as an Olympic runner. I scooped a bunch up and helped him out and within a few seconds, we were finished. He might have been small, but he was certainly fast.

He bowed again and towed the trolley down the corridor, and I shut the door.

* * *

The atmosphere at dinner time was tinged with a keen sense of excitement at the thought of Christmas being just around the corner.

A huge buffet ran down the middle of the table with strange, unheard of cuisine and traditional foods alike. I could only recognize about a quarter of them.

Everyone chatted away happily throughout the meal, but I thought Mr. Wonka looked a little anxious. Too many people, probably.

Despite the happiness and upbeat chatter, you could tell the families found him very strange, obviously, and regarded him subtle, involuntary wariness under the politeness and thanks.

Some people still lingered in the Cafeteria even when dinner was finished. I left early-ish, not really seeing any point to stay, and because I was kinda tired. Hayden was too, and Candice was taking Olivia back to her room. It was past her bedtime and the poor thing was practically falling asleep over her meal. We all got into the elevator and Mr. Wonka slipped in at the last minute, after excusing himself for a second. The elevator arrived at it's stop and he snuck me a good-night kiss before I stepped out and the elevator zoomed off again.

* * *

**Apologies for this poorly written chapter. **


	46. Chapter 46: Christmas

**Chapter 46**

**Christmas**

**Rated: T (language) **

**Warnings: XTREME FLUFF, Language, Willy/OC**

**Disclaimer: Like the other 45 times I've said this, I still own nothing. **

**Songs for chapter: "Synchronicity Music Box" By Ihavenoidea. (/watch?v=8-iFbEQPU3k) **

"**The Parting Glass" By Ed Sheeran.**

**A/N: Whew. Finally got this baby finished. Sorry for the late update yet again. This chapter was particularly boring and rather tedious to write, and I often found myself procrastinating. But, here it is, brand spanking new and just waiting for you to read (And review)! **

**Chocolategirlie: Thank you!**

**IWillBeMe: It was! Mooshtache reminded me of those Mooshrooms.**

**Arcane Wonders: Thank you for your wonderful, lovely reviews. I always enjoy them and you never fail to get me drunk on happiness whenever I read them.**

**Radio-ga-ga: Thank you so much! I appreciate that a lot.**

**OffMyRocket: Yeah, fucking ninjas. I especially hate the onion chopping ones.**

**SugarSky2012: Thank you. So much. Really, reading that really put a huge smile on my face! Also, Cintia Dicker is perfect for Candice! She's so beautiful, exactly how I imagined her. Plus, I described her as being tall and model-like, and Cintia definitely has those qualities. **

**xSilentDawnx: LOL. Panties. Wow, that made me chuckle for a good few minutes. xD**

**WillyWonkaFan: Thank you so much ! :D And I imagine it will be somewhere in the 50's or so. **

**MonaTheGreat: Why? Because turtles. That's why. **

**..**

**I kid, I kid. xD I suspect it's because she didn't envisage Mr. Wonka being so concerned and spending so much time with Darcy, given his general aversion to most living things.**

* * *

My alarm went off, rousing me from my slumber. I forced myself up, but didn't get far, collapsing back onto the end of my bed. I lay there for a while, trying to wake up properly when I decided I shouldn't probably get changed, since it was Christmas.

I stumbled about my room, pulling clothes on hurriedly. I just wore a pair of skinny jeans that I had to keep up with a belt because they were a bit big for me, a black t-shirt with the Avenged Sevenfold logo on it, a red zip-up hoodie and my boots. I really only wore the jacket to make me seem more 'christmasy'. I didn't see the point of wearing anything especially nice at the moment. The celebration would be later tonight, anyway.

There was a knock at my door and I opened it up, grinning when I saw Mr. Wonka.

"Merry Christmas!" I exclaimed and hugged him.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Alice." He responded, giving me a light kiss on the forehead.

"I have a surprise for you!" He continued. I hadn't noticed before, but he was holding something behind his back.

"What?" I asked.

"Guess."

I rolled my eyes. "A chair."

"Nope."

"Like I can guess. Just tell me."

"Tadaa!" He brought his hands out from behind his back. I widened my eyes in surprised.

"My handbag!" It was the one that had been stolen off me a few weeks back. I knew it was the same one because a few of the studs were missing off the side. His other hand was in a fist, enclosing something inside his gloved hand. I noticed the gloves were a bright, cherry red today. "How? And why?"

"I borrowed the security taped from the store you were standing next to, and I was able to enhance the photo enough to determine who he was. Although his face was in shadow, he had certain distinctions which were certainly helpful, such as the pair of limited edition Nike shoes that were discontinued a few years back. Due to the limited amount of those shoes produced and sold plus the other distinctions, I was able to track him down. His name's Luis Sampson, and he would like to say that he is very, very sorry." He grinned. "You still haven't asked what the other thing is."

I blinked, surprised. "Thank you. Wow. And what it is?"

He uncurled his fist, revealing a small, goldeny-caramel colored candy wrapped in a plastic wrapper.

"Thanks. I like candy." I said, taking my handbag and the candy off his hands and then started humming a few notes to the song.

He grinned. "Oh, it's not just any candy! It's special."

"As is everything you make. How exactly is it special?" I brought it up, scrutinizing it.

"Why, it's hair toffee! You suck down one of these little boogers, and in exactly half an hour a brand new crop of hair will start growing out of the top yer little noggin! There were a lot of flaws in the recipe, but I've finally managed to perfect it, and just in time, too! This is an apology, of sorts, for cutting off all of your hair when ya first came here."

"A bit delayed, huh?" I joked, laughing, but my cheeks were hot. "But thank you. These are so caring of you. I feel a little overwhelmed, honestly."

"Yer most certainly welcome. Now we've some presents to open and breakfast to eat!"

"Not that you eat anyway." I mumbled, but followed him out.

* * *

Breakfast was pretty much the same as yesterday's, save for the giant Christmas tree in the middle of the room that went from the floor to the ceiling. Gifts lay under the tree, and I was surprised they all fit because there were so many.

After breakfast, we opened the presents. It was truly exciting for me. I couldn't remember the last time I'd celebrated Christmas with more than one or two people. Christmas was always just my mom and me exchanging a few gifts. Sometimes Beth and her parents would be there too, but it was never more than 5 people, max. About half-way through, my phone started ringing. It was my mom, wishing me a merry Christmas. I wandered away from the group for a while to hear her better and came back when she had to go.

I mostly got gift cards, a few bath sets and even a cup with a pig's snout on the bottom of it. I thought it was cute. I got a few more gifts, but I put them aside to unwrap later, more interested in watching everyone else open theirs.

I could tell some of the guests were shocked I'd even brought them anything. Kevin blushed and stammered his thanks when he saw his gift, and his father pinched his ear. Tim's father just laughed, grinning and gave me a forceful pat on the back, which actually felt more like punches to me. Mrs. Bucket thanked me with a hug, as did little Olivia. Her reaction was probably the best. It involved grinning, jumping up and down for a bit, opening a few of their packages and finally hugging my legs.

Mr. Wonka's face lit up when he saw his present from me and pinned it straight onto the lapel of his coat, before ruffling my hair affectionately.

* * *

I stood in front of the full-length mirror, eyes roaming over my reflection, searching for flaws. I wore the dress that Candice suggested I should buy- a simple fitted royal blue dress that came down to just above the knee. It was quite pretty, not to dressy, although the one downside was that it made my skin look unnaturally, unhealthily pale. I tried countering that by putting some blush on my cheeks, but given that I wasn't that good at makeup and the fact that the blush was very pink and contrasted badly with my skin, I just ended up looking like some sort of clown so I wiped it all off and settled for a bit of lip-gloss and eyeliner.

After slipping on a pair of black heels, I wandered to the open window, leaning on it. It was dark outside, but the Christmas lights that adorned the houses and some of the trees made up for the absence of stars that were hidden behind the clouds. I could just see the warm light that filtered out of the windows of the houses below, spilling onto the snow like ink. I stood there for a while, letting myself freeze before I remembered about the small pile of unopened gifts I'd brought back to my room. Curiosity that wasn't present earlier today got the better of me and I dumped them on my bed, deciding which one to open first and picked up the one in front of me. It was medium sized and hard, like wood or something. I carefully opened the wrapping paper, being careful not to rip it. My brow knitted when I saw what it was. Could it be? Surely not…

It took it completely out of it's wrapping paper to get a better look at it. It was an exact replica of a music box my dad brought me when I was about 5. I lost it a few years later when I was 8, accidentally breaking it.

Hesitantly, I turned the key a few times and opened the lid. A small ballerina sprung up and spun around on one graceful leg. Tears sprang up in my eyes at the sound of the familiar, haunting melody. With the music came a flood of memories of my father. I distracted myself by opening the card that fell out.

_Alice, _

_It wasn't hard, but I managed to find another one of these for you._

_I'm hoping have a wonderful Christmas, my dear and that you make the most of your time over there. _

_I can't wait to see you again soon. You probably have a lot to tell me about your stay there. I can't wait to hear about everything. I also have much to tell you. _

_Merry Christmas. _

_I love you. _

_Mom. x_

I was so absorbed in the letter that I didn't notice my door open. I jumped when someone stood in front of me, and slammed the lidof the music box shut.

"Not bad." Kim said, nodding at my dress. "You look like Casper. I need your help."

"With what?"

She two pairs of shoes, a pair in each hand. One was red, matching her dress, and the other was black like the belt around her waist.

"Which one do you like the most?"

"Uh… I'm no good with fashion but the black ones would look better because of the belt."

"Thanks!" She plonked herself down on my bed and began putting her shoes on.

"My parents loved their gifts." She murmured.

"Really? That's good. I didn't really know what to get them."

She laughed. "Yeah, they wouldn't stop going on about how generous you were."

"It was nothing."

"Are you ready?" She asked me, standing up and peering down at her shoes.

"Yep. He said 7:30, right?"

"Yup. And in the Christmas Room. We should leave now, it's 7:24."

I nodded, picking up my phone, camera and lip-gloss and shoving them into my small purse. Even though my phone had an inbuilt camera, the quality wasn't that good and I wanted to take pictures.

We left my room and took the elevator to the Cafeteria, if you could even call it that. As we walked into the room, Mr. Wonka fell into step beside me, seeming as though he appeared out of thin air.

He winced slightly. "The Oompa Loompa's really went overboard, didn't they? They insisted on really making the room… _shine_ for this particular event."

"Well. They definitely made it shine, in a literal sense."

The entire room had been transformed into something spectacular. Snowflakes hung suspended at various heights a few inches below the ceiling, appearing as if they were floating, which was exactly what they seemed to be doing. I couldn't see the rope attached them to the ceiling. They shone and shimmered beautifully.

The glowing blue lights were manipulated so they formed subtle patterns around the room. They sat at equal intervals around the wall like a border, casting their aqua glow against the violet walls.

Small candles traveled up the center of the table, their flames impossibly changing between purple, and white.

The Christmas tree had been replaced too; it's leaves white and the decorations varying shades of blue and purple.

"It's amazing." Was all I could say.

"Ya think?" He asked uncertainly.

"Absolutely."

"'Leave the decorating up to us!' they said. 'It'll be fine!' they said." He made a face.

"Watermelon shorts!" Kim yelled suddenly. I jumped and went to stare at her with wide eyes.

"Sorry. I- I stole someone's car and they started chasing me, then they dragged me out and started beating me up but they were wearing shorts that looked like watermelons."

"Um. What?"

"Grand Theft Auto." She explained, holding up her iPhone.

"Oh."

"Well then, take a seat!" Mr. Wonka suggested.

I wandered over to the table, pulling out the chair at the end of the left side of the table and sat down. Kim absentmindedly sat down next to me, absorbed in her game and Mr. Wonka sat at the end of the table, diagonally from me. I took out my camera, poking Kim's arm.

"Smile."

She pulled a mental, 'Me gusta' kind of face while pulling the finger. I laughed, but took the picture anyway and then snapped a pic of us together.

I then scooted my seat over so that I was closer to Mr. Wonka.

"Say cheese!" I yelled and took the picture.

I looked back at it, wondering if I looked okay, but started laughing hysterically at Mr. Wonka's expression. You could tell that he wasn't expecting a photo by the way he looked like he'd just been shocked. It was adorable.

He peered over at the screen, wondering what all the fuss was about and made a face.

"Eurgh. Lemme take another one."

"Fine." He snatched the camera from my grasp and brought it up. I smiled and he took the picture.

"That's better." I said, noting his perfect smile. Jesus, he was photogenic, even when he was unprepared. "But my eyes look a little squinty."

I heard the elevator arrive, and loped over to Hayden.

"I want a picture with you." I told him.

"Go ahead." He smiled, and I moved in, putting my face near his and taking the picture.

"Thanks!"

Eventually everyone arrived. We sat down, chatting a bit while some christmasy music played in the background. Not long after, dinner was served. It was the usual amazing, perfect, delicious food except more 'traditional' this time. Roast potatoes, turkey, pudding, ham, and even some celebratory foods that were native to Loompa Land.

Meanwhile, I was floating around the room, snapping pictures like a crazy tourist. I even took videos of the candles. They were fascinating.

After dinner was finished, the Oompa Loompas took the plates away, and replaced the empty table with bowls of refreshments.

Kim, Charlie and I sat by the Christmas tree with Olivia, playing with the bunch of dolls she brought to dinner. Olivia was the princess, Kim was the evil twin, Charlie was the Prince, and I was the evil witch. I had to kidnap the princess and take her up to the tallest tower (The fourth branch of the Christmas tree) and the prince went on an epic adventure to save the princess and stop the evil witch once and for all, while the evil twin was secretly sabotaging his plans behind his back. Meanwhile, everyone else socialized like normal people. Mr. Wonka drifted through the room, making sure everyone was okay and making an effort to converse with everyone, despite his slightly uncomfortable disposition.

The night finished with a speech from Mr. Wonka, reading it off a set of cue cards. He told the guests about his appreciation of them being able to come, hoping they had a magnificent time and wishing them good luck for the flight home tomorrow.

Even when everyone filed out, I lingered behind with Mr. Wonka, sitting on his knee and wrapping my arms around his neck once the last person had left.

"I love Christmas. Christmas is the best time of year. Besides my birthday, because then I don't have to share the attention and I'm the only one getting gifts." I sighed happily.

"That's silly! You'd never have to share the attention."

"I'm amazing."

"Because it's always on me. I'm just so gosh darn _snazzy_, it'd be hard for anyone _not_ to look at me." He continued. I laughed.

"They're only looking at you to divert their eyes from my godliness. Would you like to have another sleepover? We're both snazzy, godlike things so I think that would be only logical."

"The reasoning of a genius. Of course I would." I wrapped my arm around his neck and snapped a picture of my kissing him cheek with my free hand.

* * *

We returned to my room a bit later, my arms around his shoulders and my mouth on his as soon as the door shut, and probably before that, too. Minds clouded and fueled by desire, he pushed me against the closed door, moving his lips along my jaw and down my neck, showing me that he was every bit as intoxicated as I was. With a slight moan, I grabbed the lower part of the lapel on his coat, pushing him back onto my bed and climbing on top of him.

"You're… just… so snazzy." I managed to say in between the frantic kisses. I ventured away from his mouth, trailing my lips over his jaw, his beautiful cheekbones, the tantalizingly bare skin just above his collar, mimicking his actions towards me. His moans were musical and thrilling, making him seem more vulnerable than ever beneath me. His hands, previously gripping the sheets, made their way along my legs, my thighs, moving slowly. Hesitantly, almost. He caressed my waist, moving upwards but always on the side. He was too much of a gentleman to go _there_. He gripped my right upper arm and left shoulder, flipping me over so that _I _was the vulnerable one beneath _him_.

"Alice-" He gasped after a few more minutes of intense making-out.

"We should stop." I said, my head clearing a bit.

"That's what I was thinkin', too." He was slightly out of breath, like me. The only difference was that I was tomato-red and he was perfectly normal. Not a hair out of place, except the few strands that hung slightly in front of his face, a bit in front of my nose and mouth.

I lay there for a bit, just looking into his eyes and trying to catch my breath before sliding out from underneath him and grabbing my pajamas from the drawer, taking them into the bathroom to get ready for bed. I bounded back into the room after that and slid under the covers, snuggling up against him.

"Good night. And Merry Christmas." I said.

"Good night, Alice." He responded.

There was silence.

"I love you." He told me. My eyes widened in the gloom, my stomach suddenly filled with even more butterflies and my heart stuttering.

"I know." I answered him by snuggling closer to him, and soon drifted off to sleep, lulled by the sound of his rhythmic breaths.


	47. Chapter 47: Gone With The Wind

**Chapter 47**

**Gone with the wind**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Language, Violence, Willy/OC, Creepiness**

**Disclaimer: Cacti. **

**Theme song for chapter: "Scarlet" By Brooke Fraser.**

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long editing this goddamned chapter. And I didn't even edit it that much, either. I tried to find typos but I couldn't find very many so if you spot more, please let me know!**

* * *

The breeze played with my hair gently, sending it flying around my face. The sunlight shone brightly like a light bulb, warming my skin just in time for the breeze to blow again and cool it back down. The sun was low in the sky, evidently only a few minutes away from setting. The horizon had taken on a slight orange pink tinge.

Whispering grass stretched out for as far as the eye could see, blowing and swaying under the gentle wind.

I sat on a wooden chair with my hands folded in my lap. The checkered tablecloth brushed slightly against my legs, and I picked up my teacup, going to take a small sip from it. The plates rattled slightly, blown by the breeze and one of the cupcakes fell over on the cake stand.

"Will you pass me the tea, please?" I asked the man sitting across from me upon realizing that the cup was empty. He looked oddly familiar. His kind face, his hair… After a few moments of staring hard at his face, I realized that it was John. He was wearing a yellow suit, mimicking Mr. Wonka's style. He leant forward, passing me the teapot. His gloves were white.

"Thank you." I poured the tea into my cup and lifted it up taking a sip. A jagged hole that wasn't there before appeared, and suddenly the crimson liquid spilt through the hole and onto my starch white dress.

"Oops!" John exclaimed, his purple eyes flashing slightly. I frowned. His skin had gone deadly pale. He got up, taking a handkerchief out of his coat and dabbed the liquid off of my dress. It didn't make any difference. The breeze had picked up, too. My hair was thrashing wildly around my face by this point. The grass rustled noisily, sounding like the ocean's waves. The sun dipped lower in the sky, turning the clouds orange and the sky a breathtaking mixture of pink and purple. The cake stand had tipped over, rolling off the table and I stood up. The chair tumbled over as soon as my weight was removed from it.

"Thank you." I told him as he put the handkerchief back into his pocket with a purple gloved hand.

His suit imitated the sky, gradually changing from yellow to pink and finally darkening to a deep plum color. The sky darkened too, like John's hair. It may have been just the shade the rim of his hat gave him, but I could've sworn it appeared to be a deep chocolate-brown color. He giggled and another gust of wind blew, more fierce than the last. As it rushed around us, the table finally tipped over and his dark brown hair flew in front of his face, elongating as the wind blew. It finally calmed and his hair settled into a neat bob and I could see his face.

He took my hand, bending low as the cutler and plates flew from the table along with the tablecloth. Cups rolled through the grass, almost flying.

"You're most certainly welcome." Mr. Wonka smiled and bent low, the orange sunlight softly touching his cheekbones. The sky was purple and orange now, the sun almost disappearing completely behind the windswept grass. His lips caressed my hand lightly for a lingering second and then he bit down sharply. Pain shot up my arm and I screamed just as the last ray of sunlight shone and disappeared. He bit down again, harder and I screamed again in agony as the darkness engulfed me.

* * *

I woke up sweating in my bed. Moonlight streamed in through my open curtains, bathing my room in its blue tint. I was alone. My window was open. A glacial breeze softly blew through it, making the curtains sway slightly.

My panicked thoughts drifted back to the dream, not sure what to think of it.

However, there were three things I _was_ absolutely sure of. First, Mr. Wonka was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him, and I'm not sure how dominant that part might be, that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably fucked up in the head and I really needed to get out more. I didn't know what my subconscious was trying to pull by giving me that dream, but I wasn't amused.

In my peripheral vision, I saw my door slide open a crack, a stream of light shining in. Tiny dust motes floated about in front of the light that shone in. I froze.

I heard a strange sound that made my hair stand on end. It was weird, like sliding almost. Like they were dragging wet feet along the carpet. They sounded moist. My heart palpitated and thrummed like the thrumming wings of a caged bird and my breathing became labored and irregular. I could see my widened eyes and horrified expression on the mirror directly in front of my bed.

And then I saw a tiny sliver of blood on the wall in front of me. Someone was drawing on the wall, but I couldn't see them.

_I_. Was the first word. I stopped breathing, the panic finally getting to me.

_Have_. Was the second. A small trail of excess blood trickled down from the 'e' on the end.

_No_. My hands were shaking now. I was completely gripped by fear.

_Mouth_. I was beginning to feel dizzy now. I'm not sure what it was from- holding my breath or the mind numbing panic. They paused for a bit, moving past the mirror in the center and started writing again on the other side.

_And_. I'm going to pass out. Oh my god, please make it stop.

_I_. My vision flickered momentarily and I felt tears spring up in my eyes. My head pounded, I needed oxygen but I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move.

_Must_. The tears spilt down my cheeks and, to my horror and disgust, I saw in the mirror that my tears were red, like the blood on the wall. Time was suspended for a few seconds. The last word came slowly and my vision flickered again.

_Scream_. And then I screamed.

_I have no mouth and I must scream._

* * *

"Alice!" Someone was shaking me. I screamed again and again, tears streaming down my cheeks, still gripped by panic.

"Don't touch me. Please don't touch me." I barely managed to form the words, and I blindly swatted at empty air.

"Alice. It's me, silly!" Mr. Wonka knelt down next too my bed, holding my face in his hands and forcing me to look at him. He put a hand to my forehead. I managed to calm down a bit and stop screaming, but the tears still ran freely. I gripped his wrists tightly, desperately, breathing heavily.

"I-I'm sorry. I just-"

"Nightmare?"

I nodded. "I thought it was real. It seemed real. I had a dream and then I woke up in my room, but it was just another dream."

"I'm no good at comforting people, but I'm almost certain you'll be okay. Unless you've developed some unusual power to make your dreams into reality, then I would start to worry."

"Why are you awake?"

"Couldn't sleep. As per usual." He shrugged. "And if I _were_ sleeping, I would've woken up anyway. You were screaming quite loudly."

"Can you take the mirror down?" I asked him quietly. After all of the hysteria, I felt exhausted.

He took it down for me and put it in the closet, and sat on the edge of my bed, stroking my hair with his gloved hand.

"Thank you." I smiled weakly and drifted back off into a dreamless sleep not long after.

* * *

"So.. What exactly are you making?" I drummed my fingers on the counter in the Inventing Room.

"All in good time." He held out his hand to the side and an Oompa Loompa placed a drill in it. He pulled down his adjustable face shield thingy that those builders use.

"I think right now is a good time." I raised my voice over the loud racket, but was ignored.

I sat there for a few more minutes, bored, when the drilling finally stopped.

"Voila!" He said, holding up a gun-type thing, with a compartment attached to the underside.

I frowned. "Jesus. I look away for a second, and then BAM. A gun appears. Why did you make a gun? Are you going to shoot me? Was it something I said?"

"Remember how I was telling you about the Minusland escapee?"

"Yup."

"I've been working on the plans for this baby for over a week. It's not exactly a gun, but generally works the same way. You pull a trigger, something dies. Except without the dying part, just the trigger. You can't kill unborn souls until they're born. Quite a hassle, but I managed to come up with alternative. It has enough power to suck them into this compartment…" He pointed to the middle of the gun. "Ready to be transported right back to where the little boogers came from!"

"Nifty."

"Indeed. Now, all I have to do is find the darn thing." He slipped the gun into his coat pocket.

"How deep are those pockets?"

"Deep."

"As in ocean deep or poem deep?"

"As in a poem about the ocean deep."

"Wow. That's deep. How are you going to find it?"

"I'm not. It can go anywhere in the world it pleases, and I don't have the time to search everywhere. I'm hoping it'll find me, instead. Kind of. They're rather… scary when feeling threatened."

"Oh. What does it look like?"

"You're very curious today, aren't you?"

"Yes. What does it look like?"

"They're invisible. Most of the time. When they _are_ visible, their forms tend to vary. Usually they look like smoke, sometimes in a human figure. They often have… faces, of a sort. Just eyes and a nose, but no mouth."

I paled. "What?"

"Eyes, nose and no mouth." He repeated.

"Oh my. T-The dream.. It said 'I have no mouth and I must scream.'"

His face turned uncertain. "Then it musta gotten into yer head."

"Thanks. I feel so reassured now." I put my face in my hands.

The next day I went down to breakfast. Candice and Darcy were already there. I realized I hadn't seen her around too much lately, besides at the Christmas dinner.

I made myself a hot cup of coffee and sat down at their table.

"Did your parents get home okay yesterday?" I asked Candice.

"Yeah, they called me last night. They were fine. Olivia really enjoyed herself."

I grinned. "She's so cute. I wish I had a younger sister."

Candice chuckled. "She is pretty cute, isn't she? Though she's a little devil sometimes."

"Lies."

I heard the elevator arrive and saw Tim step out in my peripheral vision.

"Hey Tim!" I called, not bothering to turn around. I heard him approach, but he didn't answer.

"She's fine though. She loved her Christmas- Oh my god, Alice! What-"

I suddenly felt something snap over my head. The pain kicked in a few seconds later when I fell off my seat onto the floor. The remainders of a broken chair were strewn about the floor. My head throbbed and I struggled to think clearly. Beyond my pain, I heard shouting, but I couldn't figure out who was who. My vision was blurry, but I could just see Tim's hands wrap out Candice's throat and slam her into the wall with a sickening crunch. The world swayed. There was more screaming and Darcy clambered to the floor next to me, taking off her jacket and pressing it onto my head. It took me a few seconds to realize that my head was bleeding. Heavily. A puddle formed rapidly around my head.

I blinked, frowning. Tim was still holding Candice up against the wall by her neck. Her legs were kicking. I couldn't figure it out. I didn't know what was happening. It was all too confusing. Tim's mouth opened wide and something came out. It looked like smoke.

I managed to get a grip on myself and haul myself up into a sitting position. Tim dropped to the ground, unconscious and Candice flew over to Darcy, slamming her head on the side of the table. I felt sick. I was going to vomit. There was blood everywhere. Candice's eyes… they were bloodshot and completely white. I dragged myself under the next table and Candice's hand flew out, grabbing Darcy's slender neck and tossing her like a doll across the room. She collided with tables and chairs, sending them flying. I whimpered, digging around in my pocket, trying to find my phone. Candice was coming at me again. She kicked me with inhuman strength and I flew into one of the pillars, one of my ribs cracking. In the few seconds it took her to get back over to me, I was able to go into my contacts and dial the number for Administration.

Candice picked up one of the table and slammed it into me, but I quickly spun and dodged it and it smashed into the pillar, shattering. She gripped one of the legs and threw it like a dart at me. It slammed into my shoulder. I screamed in pain as I felt it splinter into my skin. The entire length of my arm lost all feeling and I dropped the phone.

"Doris." I shouted. "Get Willy-" I was cut off as Candice's hand came down on my throat, almost crushing my windpipe. She held me up like I weighed nothing and shook me. My face felt like it was going to explode. I couldn't breath. My cheeks were hot, and spittle flew from my mouth as she choked me. Her fingernails dug into my neck, breaking the skin, before a chair came flying at her, colliding with back of her head. She screeched in pain, and whirled around, dropping me onto the floor. I collapsed, my hands flying up to my throat, gasping, taking in all the air I could get.

Darcy was trying to get as far away from Candice as she could, after diverting her attention from me. She was backing away, throwing anything she could get her hands on at Candice. She merely laughed, batting them away effortlessly.

I dragged myself along the ground as quickly as I could move towards the phone, holding on to it for dear life.

"Doris, get Willy. It's here. The thing- the unborn soul. We're in the Cafeteria." I panted and lifted myself up and running towards Candice and Darcy. Darcy was doing her best trying to hold her hands away from her, but Candice was too strong and snapped her palms open. Darcy winced, her hands cracking. Candice grinned, giggling and forced Darcy's fingers backward, breaking them. Darcy was screaming hysterically and Candice slammed her head against the wall, shutting her up when she got tired of the screams.

I grabbed Candice's hair from behind, pulling her head back and kicking a knee into the small of her back. At the distraction, Darcy ducked and jumped out from in between her and the wall.

Candice broke free and slammed a kick into my ribs. The breath left my body, and I fell to my knees. She kicked again, but I blocked it, held it, and with the other hand, scooped her supporting leg from under her. Candice screeched and fell and I heard the elevator arrive. While on the ground, Candice grabbed Darcy's head and pulled it towards her own. She opened her mouth wide, and the horrible smoke streamed out from it with a strange suctioning sound, slithering down Darcy's throat. Candice collapsed on top of Darcy, but she tossed her off and ran after me. I was stumbling towards the other side of the room, where the elevator was. I could see Mr. Wonka was there, gun out and I called out to him.

Darcy hissed, ignoring me, and leapt across the tables, practically flying at Mr. Wonka. The poor guy looked scared shitless. He pointed the gun at her and was just about to pull the trigger, but she jumped at him and knocked him over, violently snatching the gun from his hands and tossing it at the window. The glass cracked and shattered at the force.

"No!" I screamed and ran to the window. The gun was perched precariously on the ledge and I wrapped my hand around it, my heart in my mouth. It was a long way down. My head spun as I gazed out, shocked. If I were to lose balance for just one moment…

And then I heard that sound again. Before I had time to move or even get up, a heavy force rammed into me and I screamed out. My arm slipped out of the window, but I held onto the gun. I was lying on my back, Mr. Wonka was on top of me, straddling me, his arms on either side of my head so that I couldn't move. My finger inched to the trigger.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He warned. His eyes were white and empty, like Candice's. "You wouldn't dare."

Half of my head was hanging out of the window now, like my arm. I felt dizzy. Blood dripped down my head, like the tears and fell into open air.

"I-I would." I stammered. He smiled.

"If you haven't noticed, you're in a rather precarious position right now. One push, that's all it takes." The wind blew against my hair.

"It's seems you two were quite close." He said, cocking his head and touching my chin with a gloved hand. "His memories are rather interesting. Say, what would ya do if they all just.. disappeared?"

"Yeah, right." I smirked, feeling rather defiant.

"Why don't you just give me that gun. Do yourself a favor."

I shook my head defiantly and he closed his eyes.

"And now they're gone. You realize that you're pretty much toast, right? I'm going to win either way."

"Then why am I not dead yet?"

"Because this is pretty fun."

His hand moved down and he closed it around my neck, choking me, suffocating me. More tears spilt down my face. More blood. Here I was, hanging out of a window, 50 stories up with a gun in my hand, the man I lov-liked about to take my life. If I stayed like this, I'd suffocate to death. If I dared to move, I'd fall to my death. My mind raced, weighing my options. In the end, there was only one option.

He opened his mouth wide and I saw smoke begin to inch its way up his throat, but I slammed a punch into his jaw, slamming it back shut. My finger moved to the trigger and I swung my arm up again, putting my hand around his mouth and holding it tight. The gun made a loud whirring noise, and smoke began to leak out of Mr. Wonka's mouth, coming out between my fingers. He screamed and hissed and shrieking and threw himself back while pushing me all the way out of the window. I screamed as unadulterated fear and adrenaline shot through me, and my hand involuntarily shot out, grabbing the ledge. The last of the smoke was sucked into the gun, I heard Mr. Wonka collapse on the floor above me.

"Help me!" I shrieked desperately, sobbing. I was going to die. I was going to fall. I was going to die like my father, and my mother would be alone.

"Oh my god. Doris! Please help me." I yelled out, remembering the phone on the floor. I prayed to god that she hadn't hung up yet.

Sobs shook my body, and I was screaming hysterically, gripping the gun tightly. I didn't dare look down.

I was alone. I didn't have anyone to rely on, and I would have to get myself out of this mess. Hanging here, literally, and crying wouldn't fix this.

I took a deep breath and swung my other hand up towards the window. I missed, but took another shot. The gun held against that metal bar at the very bottom of the window and I was able to swing my other hand up to grab onto it as well. I hoisted myself up with the all of the strength I could muster so that my elbow was over the metal bar too and did the same for my other arm. I was able to drag myself along by my elbows from there and I hauled myself in, lifting my feet up onto the ledge and throwing myself in through the window. The jagged glass cut my stomach and arms, but I didn't care.

Once I was back in, I collapsed on the ground and began to cry again, hugging myself. Stupid, pathetic me. Always feeling sorry for myself.

I picked myself up off the ground once against, trying to avoid looking at Mr. Wonka's unconscious body and stumbled towards the elevator. I had to get this thing back to Minusland now. I'd come back for the others later.

I got into the elevator and searched for the button. It wasn't there. I ran back into the room, picking my phone up off the floor and dialing administration again.

"Doris? Hello? I need you to tell me how to get to Minusland."

"Do you have a purpose?"

"Just tell me! I trapped that soul thing and I need to get it back."

"Ah." She said. "There should be a key pad next to the door."

I jogged back into the elevator and found it.

"Yep."

"Type in the number; 9230928874."

"923… can you tell me the rest slowly?"

"0928874."

I dialed it in and the doors slid shut. The Wonkavator plunged straight down, and my stomach turned. Blood was dripping all over the glass floor, from my head, shoulder, stomach, arms and neck. I felt like a water fountain. It was nightmarish.

"Listen carefully, please." Doris instructed. "Do not open the compartment. Slide it out, but do not open it, otherwise the unborn soul will escape and use your body as a vessel. Once you are in Minusland, simply open the doors and throw it out. Be careful, and close the doors as quickly as you can afterwards. I would suggest keeping one hand on the button for extra efficiency."

"Thank you." I said and hung up. I took my coat off and attempted to stop some of the bleeding on my shoulder and my neck. The cut on my head was drying a bit, but still bleeding, only not as much as before. After what seemed like forever, the elevator plunged into the grey mists of Minusland.

Taking a deep breath, I readied myself, removing the compartment from the gun by pressing a small button. The gun clattered to the ground, into the puddle and I put my hand against the button. On the count of three, I pressed it. The doors swished open and I threw the compartment away from me, pressing it again as soon as my arm was back inside the elevator.

But I couldn't afford to be relieved yet. I pressed the Cafeteria button, anxiously tapping my foot, willing time to go faster. Eventually, I arrived again. The place was a disaster zone. Candice, Darcy, Tim and Mr. Wonka were still dead to the world. I staggered over to the shattered window and fell down beside Mr. Wonka's unconscious form.

"Willy. Wake up. Willy, please." I shook his shoulders weakly. My hair whipped against my face, and the wind howled as it blew past the jagged remainders of glass. I looked out, saw the rows of buildings covered in snow, saw the sun, still not too high in the sky shine weakly down on the town, saw the ice-covered ground that should have been covered with my blood.

Tears sprung up in my eyes again, thinking how nearly that had been my fate. Just one slip of the hand, one wrong movement, one second too late..

I lifted up Mr. Wonka's head, resting it on my knees, caressing his face as small droplets of tears and blood fell down upon his cheek, mixing together. I wiped them away.

"Please. Wake up." I begged him, closing my eyes to stop the tears. I heard a small moan and my eyes flew open, suddenly hopeful.

"What…" He sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes.

"Ow!" He rubbed his jaw, where I'd punched him.

"Willy!" I screamed, knocking him back down with a hug. He gasped and I looked at his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, seeing his panicked expression. His eyes were wide; staring at me with something I couldn't place… disgust? I shrank back, hurt.

He scrambled to his feet, dusting his coat off.

"What in loompa's name has happened here?"

"Willy, don't you remember?"

"Remember what?" He smirked, picking his hat off the ground and placing it back on his head. "How you probably kidnapped me, destroyed the cafeteria and possibly drugged me to make me forget what happened? Ha! I will not be fooled!"

My face sank. "You don't remember. Do you remember anything? Us?"

"What _about_ us?" He raised an eyebrow, perplexed.

My mouth opened, and I slammed it shut again.

"You.. You…" I didn't know what to say and suddenly the tears were flowing freely again. I was crying far too much today. I held my arms tightly around my middle, sobs racking my body.

"Oh, hey now. Don't cry! I-I didn't mean it. I don't really think you kidnapped me."

"You said you loved me." I managed to say weakly in between gasps.

"I what now?" He blinked.

"And now you can't remember."

His mouth was open slightly, brow furrowed. "I-I don't know what to say, in all honestly. Did I really do that? I'm sure I had a good reason for it, whatever it was." He reached out a hand to touch my arm, wincing slightly, but I drew back. Moments of silence passed.

"I should go and get the cleaning crew then. I'm sorry." He said the last two words quietly, almost a whisper. There was so much distance and unfamiliarity in his gaze now. I couldn't stand it.

I stood there, hoping that by some miracle he would suddenly remember and hold me in his arms or kiss me, but he didn't. He turned on his heel and strode out of the room, swiping his cane up off the ground. I watched him leave, a horrible feeling of longing weighing me down, and turned to face the window. The wind still howled through the glass. It was such a lonely, forlorn sound. I dragged a chair in front of the gaping hole and just sat there, staring out at the city. Time meant nothing. I didn't notice too much when the Oompa Loompas came and began to repair the mess, carrying away Darcy, Tim and Candice's unconscious bodies away on stretchers. I didn't notice when they left and everything was exactly the way it was before except for the window. Even as the sun finally began to fade into nightfall, I sat there, an empty shell, wondering what I would do next.


	48. Chapter 48: Inventions

**Chapter 48**

**Inventions**

**Rated: T (Language) **

**Warnings: Language, Willy/OC, Mild death**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**A/N: My sincere apologies for the late update. Had a lot of personal situations going on lately. My grandmother passed away and I've just been kinda upset about it so I haven't been working on this as much as I should.**

**But here's the next chapter in the story. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Guest: Thank you!**

**xSilentDawnx: Sorry for taking so long and thank you for the review! :)**

**DaRandomzChick: It did indeed. **

**Willy Wonka Fan: Thank you so much. That means a lot!**

**IWillbeMe: Everything.**

**Turrislucidis: Very insightful and fascinating concept for the dream. Thank you for taking the time you review, I appreciate it! **

**Chocolategirlie: Here's the next chapter. :) I'll say it again, but sorry for taking so long!**

* * *

My thoughts were groggy and my brain seemed to be taking ages to send out the proper signals to the rest of my body. I knew very little, but what I did know was that I was lying on some kind of bed, my body was refusing to move, and my eyes would not open. I tried to focus and piece together this information; tried to remember what happened, where I was, and how I had gotten there. I drifted in and out of what I assumed was consciousness, each time becoming more and more aware of how heavy my eyelids felt and of how painful my entire body was.

It felt like days later, although it must've only been a few hours, when the grogginess began to fade and my mind became a little clearer. I tried to lift my head up to get a better view of my surroundings, but it still felt so heavy, like a boulder attached to my neck or something. My eyes, which were squinted because I could still barely lift my heavy eyelids, rolled over the walls of the room. The walls were bland, a dull cream color. It occurred to me that I was in what appeared to be a hospital room… but how? Why? I lifted my head as high as I could manage and looked myself over. I was wearing one of those drab hospital gowns, the plain, dull white ones that were stiff and uncomfortable. There was a lot of pain in my torso. Wondering what it was, I peeked through the neck hole of the gown to see my upper body wrapped tightly in bandages. I closed my eyes again to stop the room from spinning and took a deep breath in. My head throbbed.

I heard a sharp rustle to my right and my eyes flashed open again.

"G'morning, buttercup!" Mr. Wonka placed the folded newspaper on his lap.

I grinned. "Willy!" I went to sit up, but there was too much pain around my rib area, so I simply twisted my head around to look at him. The memories came flooding back upon seeing his face. The smile dropped right off my face.

My brows pressed together. "It wasn't a dream, was it?"

He gave me a pitying look and shook his head. "Nope."

My mouth turned downwards involuntarily and I struggled to keep it straight, so I turned my head back around to look at the ceiling again. The familiar ache was back.

"Sorry." He continued. I could almost hear the wince in his voice.

I shrugged. I didn't trust myself to speak. Even though it didn't seem like a big deal, it still hurt just as much as the injuries on my body. Emotional pain and physical pain are very much alike, when you can compare the two side by side.

A few moments of tense silence passed, the only sound being the hum of the machines.

"I'd advise you to keep still over the next few hours or so. You need to rest in order to recover. You broke a rib and suffered from a harsh blow to the head. If there had been just a bit more force, you probably would've had a skull fracture. Other than that, there weren't any other serious injuries besides the lacerations from who-knows-what. We injected you with quite a bit of Eostystisuir. You should heal up in no time. You ended up passing out from blood loss, by the way. I like what you did with the elevator too. It was very… red." He said.

"Eostystisuir?"

"Yup. It's basically concentrated extract from the bark of the Eostyrsuir tree in Loompa Land."

"Oh, right." I remembered it was the same injection from last time. The Oompa Loompa explained it to me before.

"Fortunately, no one else was seriously injured. Granted, there were a few broken bones here and there but it's nothing my excellent staff can't fix!"

Another few moments of silence passed between us.

"So.." He said.

"Can I go now?"

"It'd be best not to. I'd suggest staying here. While the injection we gave you is absurdly efficient, nothing works that fast. Plus, given the rate at which it heals, if you move around to much there's a good chance it'll set a bit wonky." He giggled a bit.

"What's the time?"

"About 3 in the morning. "

"Huh."

"Would ya mind explaining to me what the blue blazes happened? I've been meaning to ask you."

"Yeah. Uh, how far back do you remember?"

"Last thing I remember was…" He thought for a second, frowning. "I think I was lookin' at one of the surveillance tapes after one of my workers clued me in that someone was trying to get past the gates. I realized it was just you and went out to see why the devil you were in there. It gets really fuzzy from then on. It's difficult to explain. I didn't exactly lose my memory. It's still there, I think but it's all so blurry. I can't make out _anything_. You know when you have a dream and you have no idea what happened, but you know how you felt at the time? It's kinda like that."

"Oh." My mind was racing. The memories were still there. There might still be a chance…

"_No. Shut up. He's gone now. You had your chance_." I chided myself mentally. I pushed those thoughts back so that I could continue explaining to him what happened.

"So that means you would remember that time when the Oompa Loompa got stuck in Minusland and we had to go and retrieve him. Turns out one of the unborn souls came back with us. There were a few incidents, all of which were passive but then it attacked. I think you making the weapon to use against it triggered the attack. I'm not sure, but that's the only conclusion I can draw up. It possessed Tim's body and attacked us. It then moved to Candice's, Darcy's and then… yours. You came in with the gun but Darcy, who was possessed at the time, stopped you. After being thrown out of the window, I managed to get the thing back to Minusland thought so it's gone now."

"Interesting." He was nodding. "Well, at least we got rid of it, huh?"

I nodded.

"Carry on." He prompted.

"That's it." I told him.

"You didn't tell me what happened between us. I've been _terrifically_ curious about what happened _there too_."

"Oh." It took me a few moments to collect my thoughts. "You said the last memory was of you walking out because I was stuck. I kissed you. So it would make sense that you lost your memory right before that. The soul or whatever it was saw the memories and being the sadistic freak it is, erased them on purpose. Anyway, the kiss was kind of accidental, I wasn't thinking straight when I fell on top of you and I did it. Following that was a few weeks of awkwardness and regret and then for some reason you told me that you 'might possibly love me'. I got freaked out and left and somehow got myself into the Abyss. That was also an accident. I saw your memories. How you saw me in the mirror all those years ago. I got back and expressed my mutual feelings towards you and we hit it off pretty well, actually, although it was really weird not having you insulting me all the time. We spent the night together and you brought me lovely Christmas presents." I pointed to the brooch on his coat. "I got you that, by the way."

I felt a tear drip down my cheek and I realized I was crying. Embarrassed, I wiped it away with a sad chuckle.

"Sorry. I'm so silly."

"You…we spent this night together?" He asked in shocked disbelief. "You don't mean-"

"Whoa there! We didn't do anything. No way. We barely even kissed for goodness sake." I interrupted him, flustered and red.

"Oh! Phew." He exhaled.

"The Abyss." His head tilted slightly. "You don't think.."

"It probably won't help." I interrupted him yet again, guessing what he was about to say. "You told me that the memories were completely random. Our time together was relatively small and, no offense, but you're old. The chance that you'll get one of those forgotten memories is absurdly small."

"Hm. You have a good point."

"Maybe you could invent something. You seem to do that a lot."

"Hey, what a terrific idea! Yeah.."

"You really think that it'll be possible?"

He gave a small snort. "Oh, come on. Are you really asking _me_ that? I make things possible, whether they actually are or not."

"Fair enough. But, uh, don't feel like I'm forcing you to."

"Oh, not at all! It's quite unnerving to have this huge gap in your memory. Not to mention I have to file a report on the Student Program. I imagine that'd be quite hard to do in my state."

I gave a ghost of a smile. "It would."

* * *

He left shortly after that. I wanted to leave too, but I was told by one of the Oompa Loompas I wasn't allowed to for another few hours.

I just stared up at the ceiling, not knowing what else to do, hoping I'd fall asleep or something.

So I just lay there, lost in my thoughts, considering the events of yesterday.

A small part of me wondered if what happened would be for the best. Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, there was no denying the fact that it would make leaving this place so much easier for the both of us. He wouldn't miss me. I would miss him like hell, but at least I wouldn't have as many attachments. Maybe I could learn to love someone else. Hopefully someone my own age too.

Age. That was another benefit. If I ended up coming back when I was 18, it would still be a subject of controversy and raise questions about what happened at my stay in the factory. It could put him out of business.

Not to mention all of the awkward arguments I would have with my mother.

So maybe this whole thing wasn't all bad. I just needed to look on the bright side of things.

But then again, I've never really been the optimist.

Leaving would still be painful. Despite what I said earlier, maybe even more painful than before because I know what might have been a possibility.

I'm not going to kid myself. It was a joke even thinking about finding someone else. I've never been interested in anyone besides him. I was pretty sure I was aromantic or asexual or something before I came here. Mr. Wonka was simply irreplaceable.

My fingers drummed against the starched sheets, a feeble attempt to occupy myself.

Eventually one of the workers came and examined me. After prodding me a few times and a quick glance over with his x-ray goggles (another one of Mr. Wonka's ingenious inventions), he told me that my rib was almost healed and that I can leave if I wished. I was stunned that something could heal that fast, and wondered vaguely why Mr. Wonka didn't sell the product to hospitals or something. He'd make a huge profit, not to mention cut down the time and effort of the healing process. I'm sure he had his reasons, though.

The Oompa Loompa brought me the clothes I was wearing last, which had been washed, and I got changed into them in the bathroom before getting into the elevator and heading back to my room. Maybe I could pack my stuff up today. I didn't really want to leave it to the last minute.

The elevator stopped and I went to walk out, when I realized it wasn't my stop.

Mr. Wonka stepped in, holding a scorched hat in one hand and his coat covered in a purple substance that looked a bit like Jelly in the other.

"Oh, Alice. Hello!" He greeted me. He saw me eyeing the articles of clothing. "I may be of questionable styling." He pressed a button and the doors closed.

"What happened to _you_?"

He giggled. "Experiments."

I nodded.

"I've almost worked it out. The memory thingamajig, that is. I figured if it's a barrier, all we need to do is destroy the barrier."

"…You think that'll work? It sounds awfully risky." I said, frowning in uncertainty.

He shrugged. "It'll work. Hopefully."

The elevator arrived at my stop and the doors opened. I didn't get out.

"Mr. Wonka, I don't think you should go through with it. I can fill out the paperwork for you. My memory works fine. It's a huge risk you're taking for something that wasn't mean to happen." I looked down and my voice turned quiet. "I can't lose you again, as cliché as that sounds. You're going to be tampering with your _brain_, Mr. Wonka. Not only is there a chance of brain damage depending on what you do, you could lose your other memories too. That'd ruin your business. Your life too, although the two are pretty much the same thing for you."

He tilted his head slightly, scrutinizing me, a smile playing around the corners of his lips.

"And that, my dear, right there is why I'm determined to remember regardless of the consequences."

My stomach did that fluttering thing again, and I didn't know what to say.

"O-Oh." I half-stuttered and stepped out of the elevator.

"Well in that case, tell me when you're finished. I hope you know what you're doing." I frowned slightly.

He inclined his head, tipping his scorched hat and the elevator doors closed and sped off.

* * *

The girl on the swing flew back and fourth through the air, pushing her legs outwards as she came up and inwards as she fell down.

Her long, chestnut brown hair swung back and fourth and laughter chimed through the air.

A man with brown but greying hair stood behind her pushing the swing, his eyes glimmering.

"Daddy!" The young girl squealed joyfully. "Push me higher."

She twisted around to him, grinning when a loud bang resonated through the park.

The man's arms fell slack and his mouth fell open. Wordlessly, his gaze moved from his daughter to himself and watched as a patch of crimson spread across his white button-down shirt.

The girl's smile faded and she screamed in horror. Her father fell onto the grass, gasping.

_Bang. Bang. Bang. _

I screamed and jolted awake.

* * *

_Knock. Knock. Knock_.

I was breathing heavily, almost panting. Sadness overwhelmed me, and I let my face fall into my clammy hands.

_Knock. Knock._

Oh, right. The door. Exhaling, I threw the covers off and checked the time o my phone. It was 4 in the morning.

I unlocked the door and opened it. I must have looked like death.

It was Mr. Wonka.

"What is it?" My voice was still thick with sleep and I ran my hand through my hair in case there was any sticking up.

"I finished!" He grinned like a madman, holding up something that looked like a water gun.

"Oh." That snapped me out of my grogginess. "Um. You have to be completely sure about this. Have you tested it?"

"Nope. I wouldn't risk hurting one of my workers. Although, everything should run perfectly well."

I pursed my lips reluctantly.

"I'll be fine!" He insisted.

"If you say so." I replied weakly. Arguing him wasn't worth the effort. He was more stubborn than tomato sauce on white material. "So uh, are you going to do it now, or…?"

"Might as well. Apologies for waking you by the way. You told me to tell you when I'm finished. It just happened to be now."

"All goods. I wasn't having the best dream anyways. Come in." I stood to the side and he went past me.

"So, how does that thing work?" I asked, shutting the door. "You invent a lot of guns, I've noticed."

"Guns are awesome but I never get to make them, sadly. It's hard to fit guns in when you're selling candy. Anywho, it's simple. You just pull this trigger and BAM! You're back to normal. It works by sending a mild electric shock to the temporal lobe. It's much more complicated than that of course, but it's somewhat difficult to explain."

"Coming from you, that'd mean it'd sound like completely nonsense to me, wouldn't it?"

"Precisely. And time is of the essence."

"It is? Why, what's happening?"

"Nothing. Time is always of the essence." He pressed a few buttons on the gun and there was a whizzing sound.

I felt nervous and tense. I could heart the pulse in my ears.

"I just wanted you to know that I've always liked you, by the way. Well, here we go." He put the contraption up to the side of his head after removing his hat and closed his eyes. I twisted my sleeves, shifting from foot to foot.

With a sharp inhale, he pulled the trigger.

* * *

**Please tell me if there are any typos. My laptop battery had 6% left and I'm just trying to hurry up and get this posted today because my charger won't freaking work. Grr. I'm not able to go over this as thoroughly as I wish. **


	49. Chapter 49: Hair Taffy

**Chapter 49**

**Hair Taffy**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**Theme song for chapter: "4am" By Kaskade. **

**A/N: New chapter! Hooray. Kinda short, but oh well. **

**I have a question to ask you guys. What would you think if moved the rating up to M, if you get my drift? I mean, the stories I've read mainly had those types of scenes (Yeah, I'm a perv. I'm not even ashamed to admit it) and I think that it really makes the whole story. I loved most of them. The thing is, I'm somewhat hesitant because Alice is under aged, although I've read quite a few explicit ones involving Charlie when he's a child. Some people might be offended or even think that Willy wouldn't do that, making him seem OOC. Plus, M rated stories are not shown by default, so I might have fewer readers too. But then again I already have over 200 reviews (Thank you!) so it wouldn't matter all to much, would it?**

**I really don't know. I've been thinking about it, but I can't come to any sort of conclusion, which is why I'm asking you what you would like. If I DO, I'm going to make it so you can skip the chapter and it'll still continue with the story seamlessly, if that makes sense. I probably don't make sense, now that I think about it. Anyways, please give me your opinion by sending me an inbox or just telling me in the reviews. ****Hint: Reviews are much, much quicker to do. ;)**

**Dionne dance: Thank you!**

**IWillBeMe: Ooh, congrats! Good luck too, I suppose. **

**Arcane Wonders: Thank you so much! I appreciate that a lot. And not at all, it's my pleasure and reviews like yours make writing truly rewarding. Plus writing's always been kinda my coping mechanism, if that makes sense. It helps me take my mind off things. :) **

**ShowerCurtainsTurnMeOn: I accidentally spilt coffee on my keyboard because I burst out laughing at the ghost thing. Thank you. xD **

**Turrislucidus: Thank you, kind Sir/Madame. You are too kind.**

* * *

There was a muted bang and Mr. Wonka jolted, a second before crumpling to the floor like a lifeless doll.

I gasped in horror, wondering if that was supposed to happen. I fell to my knees beside him, pressing my head to his chest.

When I heard he was still breathing, I let out a breath of my own. At least he was alive, right?

"Willy." I shook his shoulders almost violently before getting out my phone, ready to call 911 when I realized we were in fucking England. I didn't even know the emergency number, for goodness sake. I probably learnt it at some point during elementary school but in my silent state of panic, I couldn't even begin to recall it.

I don't even know how long I sat there, cursing myself for allowing this to happen. It was probably only a matter of minute but it felt like forever.

His pulse was completely fine, if not slightly accelerated. I checked it regularly, although I think that was more of a way to reassure myself. After a while, I wrapped my hands underneath his arms and hoisted him up, dragging and pushing him up on the bed. Surprisingly, given his tall stature, he wasn't nearly as heavy as I was expecting. Even so, I still struggled.

I propped up his head on pillows and just waited, wringing my hands anxiously and occasionally getting up to check his pulse and breathing. Eventually, he came around. I noticed his eyes flutter open. I jumped up off the desk chair I was sitting on, kneeling down beside the bed.

"Willy! Are you okay?"

"Alice…?"

"Yes. It's me." My voice sounded slightly breathless. "What do you remember? Did it work?"

He went to sit up, but I pushed him back down. "Don't, just relax for the moment."

"I can't remember anything."

My face crumpled in horror. "What?"

"Hey, I'm just pullin' ya leg! Heh heh. Sorry, that wasn't really funny, was it?"

"Really? Please, don't joke with me. Do you really remember?" I demanded.

"Absolutely." He paused for a second, thinking. "It's all coming back to me… slowly. Oh boy, you weren't lying. That bit after ya kissed me really was awkward!" He giggled.

I was too happy to say anything. I just threw my arms around his neck.

"Oh my god, I don't know what to say. I'm so glad." I laughed, nuzzling my face into his shoulder. He smelt so sweet.

Finally, after such a long time, everything was fine. No ghosts, no regrets, just him and I. I closed my eyes, savoring this rare feeling.

* * *

We stayed up, mainly discussing the whole situation until the sun peeked out from the horizon. At about 8, I told him to go to the Puppet Hospital just to check nothing was fried while I showered and got ready, and that I would meet him at breakfast at around quarter to 9.

I closed the door after him and picked out a few clothes from my drawer when I noticed the uneaten piece of wrapped candy sitting on top of it. I'd completely forgotten about it, with all that had been going on lately. I stared at it for a second, and then unwrapped it, chucking it into my mouth. It was kind of hard and yet soft at the same time and tasted like heaven. I chewed on it lightly, continuing to pick out my clothes for today and then jumped into the shower.

By the time I was out again, I was shocked to see that it was past my shoulders. Unfortunately, my bangs were also growing. They were down to my nose now. I wasn't used to it, I'd had them most of my life, really. I just pinned them back.

I changed, dried my hair and put a touch of makeup on. Eyeliner and lip-gloss, just like usual.

It was around 8:30 by the time I was ready, and I decided to just go to the Cafeteria early.

Darcy and Kim were there, sitting opposite of each other but saying nothing.

I took a seat at the table next to Darcy because she was closest to the entrance.

"Morning." I said.

"Hey, what happened the other day?" Kim asked me. "It was fucking terrifying. I felt like I walked into a horror movie." She frowned.

"Tim came in and started attacking people-"

"Oh, I know that bit. Darcy told me everything up to where she passed out but why would he attack you? I asked Mr. Wonka that afternoon but he had no clue."

"He lost his memory during the whole ordeal."

"Seriously? I did notice he seemed a little off his nut. More than usual, I mean."

"Yeah. It's back now though. Basically, there was an angry ghost that liked possessing people."

She laughed. "No seriously."

"I am completely serious." I said with a straight face and turned to Darcy. "How are you? Were you injured too badly? Thanks for having my back, by the way."

"Right back at ya. And yeah. I got this." She held up her bandage-covered arm. "I broke it. They injected me with something though and it's almost healed. Can you believe it? Although, I felt as high as a kite for a few hours afterwards. Also I broke three of my fingers. They're fine now." She laughed. "Other than that there were only bruises and a few cuts. What about you."

"Broke a rib, lacerated most of my body, almost fractured my skull, the usual. Looking at me now, you wouldn't even realize it. I was allowed to take the head bandage off last night and most the dressings for the cuts, although my torso's still covered with bandaged. Doc said they should be cleared by this afternoon or tomorrow, although the rib might take a few more days. I feel like a mummy. Also I sprained my wrist when I fell out of the window and tried to get myself up. I didn't feel it at the time, it was probably the adrenaline keeping me going."

"Oh god. How did you manage to get outside of the window?" She gasped. "I didn't push you... did I? I mean, Candice and Tim… that thing went down their throats it was like they weren't themselves anymore. I wasn't possessed was I?"

"No you weren't. Candice lost interest and smashed your head against the wall and you went out like a light. Mr. Wonka came in with the gun to capture it, but it got to him before he could do anything. I managed to get the gun and trap but, but he pushed me out of the window."

"Wow. That's… pretty horrifying."

"You know, this is the most I've ever talked to you before." I said, changing the subject. I still felt a bit touchy about the whole situation.

"Huh, it is. You're not as annoying as I thought." She said and Kim giggled.

"Thanks."

"Right-o. This whole thing is fucking bizarre. New topic, what are you guys doing tomorrow? For New Year's Eve?"

"I dunno. Probably nothing. My mom and I usually just invite a few close friends over for dinner and that's that." I said.

"Wanna come to a party with me?" Kim asked.

"What type of party?" I asked skeptically.

"An awesome party."

"With teenagers?" I frowned.

"Yep. And loud, obnoxious music and alcohol."

"Kim! You're not even of the legal age yet." I nagged at her.

"Psh. I turn 18 in 10 days. My birthday's the 9th of January."

"Still."

"I take that as a no. Your loss. What about you, sunshine?" She looked at Darcy.

"Might as well. Got nowhere else to go."  
"What about family?" Kim asked, genuinely curious. I suppressed my grimace, knowing where this was going.

Darcy just shrugged. "Don't have any. My mother died when I was a child and I got sent to some shitty orphanage. I ran away when I was 14, though. I didn't really know what I was taking on, I just wanted to get out. Big mistake. I wish I'd stayed." She laughed dully.

"Oh, I'm really sorry." Kim looked slightly uncomfortable but sad in a detached sort of way. "What about your dad?"

"We never talked about him. I assume he just abandoned us when he realized she was pregnant."

"Oh. Jeez, sorry." Kim looked down at her hands, twiddling her thumbs.

"Anyway, we'll be leaving at about 8 tomorrow. You can borrow my clothes if ya want. I don't think you brought any with you here. Oh and if you wanna come, Alice, then by all means. Tim said he might be going."

"Thanks." Darcy said. It was kind of amusing, in a way. Both of them were so hesitant to express their emotions.

"Alice," Kim said after a long moment of silence. "What the heck, I just realized your hair is really long. I kept thinking you looked different, but I couldn't point it out."

I ran my fingers through it, realizing that it was down to the bottom of my shoulder blades now.

"Oh yeah. Mr. Wonka gave me this 'Hair Taffy' stuff for Christmas. The name's pretty self-explanatory. I just used it this morning, it's grown so much already." I laughed in wonder.

I heard the elevator arrive and spun around to see Mr. Wonka. He sat next to me. It was hard to keep the smile off my face and my hands off him. I settled with our knees touching lightly under the table.


	50. Chapter 50: Fireworks

**Chapter 50**

**Fireworks**

**Rated: T**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Fluff, Language**

**Theme songs for chapter: "Astronauts" By One EskimO**

**[1] "Whisper of a Thrill" By Thomas Newman. (Piano version, can be found on Jybh012's Youtube channel)**

**Random AIC trivia: There was originally another character called Anne in the first drafts. She was a lovable character with blonde hair, brown eyes and a brain the size of a walnut and I actually grew quite fond of her. Until I realized that I counted wrong. There were only supposed to be 5 characters instead of 6. So I had to choose between her and Kim and Kim won. As it turns out, it is I who has a brain the size of a walnut.**

**A/N: Whoaa. I'm super-duper sorry for the late update! I have half an excuse, okay? As I mentioned at the end of my last chapter, my charger was broken and my battery was dying etc. I didn't expect for it to take quite so long to get a new charger and by the time I had, I didn't have access to the internet due to moving houses recently. So yeah. But like I said, that's only half an excuse because really I've just been procrastinating a lot. But on a good note it was my birthday, so you know, a review would be a good birthday gift... D (Even though it was almost a month ago... shush) But yes, I'm sorry for the late update. Every time I went to write, I would just hit this wall. So to make it up for you, here's a really long chapter with a lot of fluff and fireworks and stuff. Enjoy!**

* * *

I sat in silence on the cold ground as the sun peeked over the horizon, gradually slipping in through my window and bathing the suitcases that were strewn around me in a warm, muted light.

The silence was thick and the ticking of the clock was ceaseless, a somber reminder of the time I had left here and how it was all slipping out of my grasp. In my head, I could clearly imagine an hourglass, the top almost empty but the stream of sand continuing to fall relentlessly. Unbendingly.

I must have lain in my bed for what seemed like hours, exhausted and weary and yet still unable to fall asleep. No matter how much I tossed and turned, I couldn't quite manage to shut of the inner dialogue for long enough to allow me to get some rest.

Eventually, I gave up and put the restlessness to good use, packing all of my things into the suitcases that were now full, but leaving out all of the things I would be needing for the next few days.

Admittedly, it was a rather depressing process. Yet another reminder, if I needed one, about the goodbyes I would have to say tomorrow. At one point I actually burst out crying, to my shame. Even though no one was around to see it, I promised to punish myself for this moment of weakness later. Weakness never got me anywhere, and so I would have to be strong.

* * *

The general atmosphere and mood at breakfast was decidedly subdued and dismal due to the fact that this adventure would soon come to an end.

I made an effort to appear cheerful, to keep the fake smile up but it was a weak attempt and the bleak look in my eyes, my weary disposition painted a different picture.

I made detached comments throughout the meal, hoping to spark conversation but was instead only met with murmured agreements and the occasional laugh.

Even Darcy remained quiet, and although despite the unspoken reconciliation as a result of the incident with the unborn soul, I suspected it was simply because she still didn't like me very much.

I didn't see Mr. Wonka at breakfast, to my disappointment. I imagined he was busy with preparations for the New Years' Eve dinner tonight or maybe with work.

The company gradually dissipated as each finished their breakfast, as did I.

I made for the elevator, my smile dropping as soon as the doors shut.

* * *

The day was long and lingering, rendered even more so by the fact that I hadn't seen Mr. Wonka all day, although I reminded myself that I would definitely see him at dinner tonight.

I spent my hours travelling around the factory, visiting rooms that I had not yet seen and taking pictures of each one.

Every one of the rooms contained something new and something completely impossible. Lollipops that changed color every time you licked them, taffy that stretched to unimaginable lengths, actual chocolate birds that chirped and tweeted and that were hatched from eggs, candy floss that was shorn was fluffy pink sheep, golden eggs from golden geese, everything. The Oompa Loompas kindly gave me introductions of each of the room but never answered whenever I asked where Mr. Wonka was. Some of them even posed in the pictures.

I went back to the Guest Rooms at around 6, a few hours before the dinner started, which was at 8:30.

I walked towards my room, but even when I passed my door I continued walking towards the very end, pulling open the glass door and stepping out onto the balcony. I'd always glanced at this place as I went towards my room, but I hadn't actually been out here. I never had reason to. I suppose even now I didn't have much reason, but I was tired of always going back to my room.

I sat myself down onto the snow-covered floor, slipping my legs under the railing and draping my arms over another one of the rails before resting my chin on top of my hands.

The wind that roared in my ears and that whipped my hair against my face was strangely calming. The cold was numbing, bone-chilling but I didn't mind that either. It was almost dark and the sun had just begun to set. It was a breathtaking sight. I was certain at that moment that there was no better view in the world.

The dreary, industrial city below us almost appeared as if it were glistening from this height. The warm illumination of dusk bathed the snowy houses and streets in glowing hues of muted orange and purple as the sun sunk into the distant horizon.

I stared off into the distance as night fell, losing my sense of time. Hours could have passed, but I didn't notice.

A light hand on my shoulder eventually brought me back to reality and I jumped, whirling my head around.

"Willy!" I cried with a grin, disentangling myself from the bars. I went to jump up, but my frozen muscles caused me to stumble into his arms. I laughed, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Alice! What on God's green earth are ya doin' out here? You'll freeze to death!"

"It's nice out here." I murmured, burying my face in his chest and taking a long, deep breath. "Where were you today?"

"Oh, just organizing this and that." He said vaguely.

"Right." I let go of him with one arm so that I could see the time. It was a bit past 7. "Well, I missed you!"

He giggled and ruffled my hair. "Awh, you're one adorable thingamabob, ya know that?"

"You're really warm."

"No, I'm not. Not really. You're practically a snowman. Let's go inside, shall we?"

We walked down the corridor and into my room.

"So, what's dinner gonna be like?" I asked, sitting on the bed. Willy was eyeing the suitcases on the ground.

"Huh? Oh, no clue. The Oompa Loompas are in charge of that."

"I thought you were organizing the dinner."

"Nope, something else."

"What is it?" I asked.

He grinned slyly, eyes glinting and leant forward with both hands on his cane. My heart hammered.

"The best kind of prize is a _sur_prise." He said smoothly.

I laughed almost anxiously.

"I can think of a better prize."

"And what would that be, my dear?" He challenged.

"You. Wrapped in a bow. Yep, that'd be a pretty good prize." I joked.

He giggled. "About tomorrow-"

"Is it about me leaving?" I cut in.

"Mhm."

"Save it. This is our last night together, Willy. Let's not make it sad."

"You're right." He agreed. I jumped up.

"Well then, I'm going to jump into a shower before the dinner. Feel free to leave if you'd like, or you can stay here and, I dunno, read a book or something."

I went into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me and turned on the faucets. The water pelted down and I stuck my hand in to check the temperature before getting in.

Humming to myself lightly, I lathered up the shampoo and rinsed that out before reaching for the soap when I heard a faint noise coming from the bedroom. I frowned.

"What are you doing, Willy?" I yelled over the sound of the water. I heard giggling.

I quickly conditioned my hair, washed my body with soap and shut off the water. Wrapping the towel around me, I opened the bathroom door to find Willy on my laptop.

"That's a funny looking book."

He giggled again, and I heard meowing.

"What were you doing watching cat videos?" He asked. I must have left the tabs open.

"For your information, they are educational, compelling, _inspiring_ documentaries about young cat's behavior around balls of thread." I shut the door again and brushed my teeth when I heard more giggling and stuck my head out the door, toothbrush still in my mouth.

"Look look look! It's dancing!" He erupted into a fit of laughter as if it was the funniest thing he'd seen in his life.

Chuckling, I rinsed out my mouth went out into the bedroom to get my clothes.

I went over to the bag full of the things I would need for today and tomorrow, and fished out the things I would be wearing, bringing them back into the bathroom.

* * *

I twisted the cap of the lip-gloss on, pressing my lips together and smiling at the mirror, but at the same time wishing they weren't so small.

I dried my hair and brushed it out, marveling at the feeling of having my old hair back. I'd had to trim my bangs, too. Before, they had rested just below my nose and I didn't really suit having that bit of hair swept back.

I walked backwards a bit so that I could view the outfit as a whole, checking that everything looked right.

Tonight I wore a fairly nice dress the color of a wisteria flower; a pale bluish-lilac, and a coat. Despite the heating, I was cold, but maybe that was simply because I'd just gotten out of the shower.

I came out of the bathroom to find that Mr. Wonka was still on my laptop, giggling like an idiot.

"OOoh, you look magnificent!" He commented with a flourish of hands after closing the laptop.

"You're too kind."

"Yeah, I am." He reached into his coat and pulled out the pocket-watch. "Hm, I hafta go and make the announcement about the whereabouts of the dinner."

He had insisted on keeping it a secret up until now, probably so no one would try and see it before time.

"Sure." I smiled. "Can't wait to see it."

* * *

"Dinner will commence in the Snow Room." Mr. Wonka finished over the speakers.

The Snow Room. That sounded interesting.

I left my room and got into the elevator with Kim and Hayden, noticing a bit of fluff on my sleeve. I brushed it off and looked up just as the doors opened. For a second, I almost forgot to breath.

Tentatively, I stepped out into this Winter Wonderland. It was similar to the Chocolate Room, and yet somehow completely different. There was a waterfall at the very back of the huge room. Instead of melted chocolate, it was a sparkling clear liquid that look like water. It flowed into a river that gleamed like a diamond amidst the snow. Only, it wasn't snow. It wasn't even cold. Twisted trees of taffy sprouted up from the floor, the colors all ranging from baby blue to cerulean to the color of my dress right up to light, pastel mint and all of the colors in between. Little white flowers sprung up in little tufts all over the bed of snow, but on closer inspection they turned out to be small candies.

Toward the center of the room was a white table with chairs dotted evenly around it. I noticed that the multi-colored candles that were at Christmas dinner were here too. They fit in perfectly.

Oompa Loompas hurried about the room, wearing skintight silver jumpsuits, to my amusement and placing dishes down the middle of the table.

In a slightly dazed manner, I went over to the table and sat myself down at my assigned seat. I was sitting at the end of the table again, opposite Charlie and across from Willy who was at the _end_ end of the table.

"Wow. This is amazing." I remarked to no one in particular.

"Oh jeez, how did he even make this?" Hayden shook his head in disbelief, sitting two seats away from me.

Willy, Candice, Tim, Darcy and the Bucket family all arrived within the next few minutes.

After a few minutes of getting settled in, and the Oompa Loompas placed the last of the dishes on the table, dinner was served. I fumbled around in my jacket pocket for my camera, so that I could capture this picture and keep it forever. I snapped pictures throughout the meal. Of the room, the meal, the people, I even got one with an Oompa Loompa who was more than happy to be photographed.

Dessert was then served and after that, random socializing, which I wasn't too good at. I remained at the table with Charlie's Grandma Georgina, picking at a cupcake and talking about grapes and picture frames and whatnot.

The dinner lasted for about 2 hours, and the socializing maybe about an hour. Just as it was about to finish, Willy stood up, clearing his throat and twisting his gloves so that they made a small squeaking sound.

"Good afternoon, all!" He grinned. "I thank you all for coming tonight. As you all know, this will be the last night in the factory for these wonderful students. Not only has this been a learning experience for you, but also for me. What did I learn, you ask? That some people are extraordinarily unlucky. Namely, Alice." The group laughed.

"In all seriousness, it has been a privilege to have you as guests in my factory and I find that I might possibly miss you." He grinned. Not the fake grin that he often wore while giving speeches, though. It was the type of grin he wore when we were alone. Genuine, beautiful, and not at all forced.

Kim stood up. "You know, I thought you were super weird when I first met you. Completely nuts. Off your rocker. Loony, psycho, bonkers, cuckoo. Out of your tree. As mad as a hatter. Around the bend."

"You're too kind, really." Willy said, smirking.

"But as time went on, I realized you weren't that bad. Granted, you were still completely wacko but still. You're not bad. Thanks for having us. It's been awesome."

* * *

Everyone left shortly after that. I stayed behind with Willy.

"This room is _amazing_." I told him for the seventh time this evening.

He stood up. "Hehe. Charlie helped me with a lot of the plans. He was the one who came up with the idea of having a lemonade river instead of a chocolate one, 'coz it wouldn't really fit the color scheme." He grinned affectionately and strode over to the elevator, straightening his hat.

"Well, come along." He gestured.

I walked forward, shoving my hands in my pockets.

"Where are we going?"

"The best kind of prize is a surprise!" He giggled.

"You really like surprises, don't you?"

"Mhm! They're just so fun… you can never go wrong with surprises."

"Well… you can. The person might not like the surprise."

"In which case it would be very amusing for me."

"You're strange, y'know that?" With effort, I reached up and removed the hat from his head.

"Surprise! I took your hat."

He chuckled, pressing a button. I leaned forward, peering around him to see the name of the room.

"The Sky Room? What's that?"

"A surprise." He plucked the hat out of my hands and fixed it on top of his head once again. Reaching up, he stroked the right side of his perfect bob so that it curved along his jaw.

The elevator kept going straight forward for a time and then suddenly, without warning, lurched directly upwards.

I stumbled slightly, gripping his arm, and the elevator continued on it's straight path. We passed a few rooms, but now we were flying through a sort of cylinder shaped area. We had been in the elevator for quite a while now and the entrance was up pretty high already, so I guessed we must have been in those giant chimneys at the top of the factory.

I looked up, seeing something that looked like metal mesh at the very top.

The Wonkavator hurtled full speed towards it, passing the lights that were dotted evenly along the walls. It was showing no sign of slowing down. I flinched, screwing my eyes shut as we were about to come into contact with the metal. But to my surprise, we didn't. I peeked out of one eye curiously, looking down, just in time to see the metal grates slide shut.

I let out a breath of relief. The elevator continued upwards, connected to the metal beams that shot straight up into the sky.

"Oh god. I thought we were going to crash."

"Heh. Funny you should say that. Originally, the Wonkavator would just crash straight through the barrier. You shoulda seen Charlie and his Grandpa Joe's face the first time. They thought they were toast!" He giggled. "But the Oompa Loompas started complaining about how they had to clean it up and rebuild it every time, so I made a few adjustments."

"Interesting." I said uncertainly. "But where the heck are we going? I'm confused."

"Look up." He told me. I looked up, but I didn't really know what I was looking at. It was circular, that much I could tell you, and I think I could make out a square opening in the center.

Within a few seconds, we had arrived. The elevator went straight into the opening and hurtled to a standstill. It wasn't until I stepped out onto the platform, dazed and disorientated, that I was able to see what this whole thing was.

A glass dome stretched over the circular platform, but you could see every star in the sky.

[1] "Whoa." The world slipped through my mouth.

"Do ya like it?" He asked eagerly. "I thought you'd like to watch the fireworks. I'm sure it'd be a lovely view from up here." His eyes were wide, scrutinizing my reaction.

"Whoa." I repeated, unable to think of anything else to say. I walked forward until I met the glass barrier and placed my hand against it, looking out into the vast sea of clouds and the stars above them. Willy came to my side, and I looked at him with wide eyes.

"This... this is amazing. Even though it defies both logic and gravity, it's amazing."

"Wait till ya see this."

He dug a hand into his pocket and retrieved a small remote, pressing one of the buttons.

The glass dome appeared to be melting away into itself, starting at the very top. I jumped back in alarm, but it stopped when there was about 1 meter of glass left, creating a short glass barrier. Now there was nothing separating us from the sky. Cold, night wind blew at us.

Willy leaned on the barrier, gazing out into the sky. His face was completely white in the moonlight, but enchantingly so.

"What's the time?" I asked. He retrieved the pocket-watch from his coat.

"11:50. The fireworks should be starting soon!"

Almost on cue, a high-pitched whine resonated through the air as the first golden sparks traced their way across the sky, and bright explosions of red, blue, and white peeked up through the clouds. Brilliant bursts of flames illuminated the darkened sky breathtaking hues of purple, green, blue, gold, silver, red, and countless other colors. Each of the fireworks cast bright, flickering lights against the blank canvases of the clouds.

The crackles of fireworks and the smell of smoke filled the air as the fireworks flew. There was a red one and a blue one, exploding within feet of each other. Specks of light beamed through the clouds among with a sharp crackling sound. A few seconds passed, and another few emerged in the distance, higher this time. We just stood there for a few moments, watching the almost surreal beauty of the scene.

"Willy?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"It's my pleasure." Another firework went off somewhere behind us, but I didn't bother looking, too captivated by the man standing next to me. Light danced and reflected off his purple eyes and his hair swayed slightly with the wind.

"Also…" I started. He looked at me.

"Hm?"

"People so seldom say I love you and then it's either too late or love goes. So when I tell you I love you, it doesn't mean I'll never go. Only that I wish I didn't have to. So… I love you." The words flew out of my mouth, but somehow I couldn't bring myself to regret them.

For a few seconds, he didn't move. Just stared at me with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth. He blinked.

And then his face broke out into the most breathtaking, magnificent smile and I couldn't help myself from smiling too. His reached mine and he squeezed it affectionately.

"I love you too." Willy looked back towards the clouds. "I always have."

I stared at our hands resting on the glass barrier.

"3 minutes." He said. "Any New Year's Resolutions?"

I thought for a moment. "No. None that I can think of. You?"

"Me neither." He said after a few moments' debate.

"Any regrets?"

"Regrettable situations are what help shape the present. I couldn't ask to be in a better place than where I am now."

I thought about that for a second, nodding. "You're right. No regrets."

He moved closer to me, wrapping his arms around me from behind and holding me close.

"What was your favorite moment of this year?" I asked.

He thought about that for a moment. "I'm not sure. I'm stuck between two. The first, waking up in your arms and finally remembering everything. The second, when you told me you loved me."

"What about the ones not involving me?" I grinned.

"Hm…that's a hard one. Lemme see. Oh! When Charlie accidentally spilt the Laughing Powder into the new candy I was making… I didn't find out about it until it made headlines in practically every newspaper in the world. 'Hundreds of kids can't stop laughing! What exactly is in Wonka's new candy?'" He chuckled. "Not very good for business, but it was _hilarious_."

I remembered that. The media was buzzing about the candy for months. There were even a few guys in my class who stocked up on the candy while it was still being sold and started selling them behind the library building when they were banned in stores. Like some black market drug trade.

"Or maybe Charlie's birthday." He continued. "He convinced my father to visit the Factory that day for the first time, you know. A year before that he convinced me to visit him, too. For the first time in… almost 40 years. Sometimes I think that that boy has given me more than just an heir to the factory. He's given me a family. I've never had one, and yet he singlehandedly repairs mine while also inviting me into his."

I smiled. "Charlie's a good boy. I can tell that when the time comes, he's going to run the factory just as amazingly as you do."

"Yeah. He will. I picked him because from the start, you could just see he had a natural's love and appreciation for candy. A creative mind and a pure heart. He has a lot of potential. Anyways, what about you? What was your best memory?"

"You."

"Besides me." He grinned.

"Fine. I dunno, actually. This year's been pretty crappy before coming here. Actually, you know what? I'm not gonna lie, half the time I spent here was pretty crappy, too. I was always falling over or stabbed or falling into some realm of nonexistence and breaking something, y'know?"

"There must have been _something_."

I thought about that for a moment.

"Well, there was this time Beth paid the front office lady $10 so that she could sing happy birthday to me over the school PA system. Some random people even joined in. Embarrassing, but still one of my best memories. That says a lot, doesn't it?"

Willy giggled. "Told ya there was something. Who's Beth?"

"My friend. We've known each other ever since I can remember."

"That's nice. 30 seconds left."

His hands moved to my waist and he twirled me around to face him. I stared into his exquisite, amethystine eyes that seemed to sparkle. My own eyes roamed over his face as if to memorize every single striking detail, his rosy, heart shaped lips, the curve of his cheekbones, his dark, arching eyebrows and the ethereal glow of his alabaster skin. My lips turned up slightly at the absurdity of this situation. How could someone so perfect, so amazing ever love someone like me?

Slowly, he leant in, gently brushing his lips against mine. And this time, when we kissed, there really were fireworks.

* * *

**A/N: Gargh. I'm sorry, really badly written I know, but I can't come up with anything better. My brain is dead. Feel free to throw pie at me now. But yeah. I haven't slept in... quite a while so I might come back tomorrow or tonight and edit everything. At the moment I just want to get this posted. Pleeasse leave me constructive criticism. I need to know what's wrong with my work so that I can fix it!**  
**Also, I've made my decision about bumping up the rating. Thank you to everyone who responded, I've decided I will be, just not as soon as I planned! But it will be there so hang tight.**  
**Anywho, have a good day/night/morning, and I dunno, Obama for President!**


	51. Chapter 51: Goodbye

**Chapter 51**

**Goodbye**

**Rated: T (Language)**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, Slight angst, language**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except nothing. That, I do own.**

**A/N: I was supposed to have this up yesterday, but it was rushed to I waited and here it is. It's pretty long, so I suggest getting comfy first. Any Charlie/Wonka lovers out there? I'm currently in the middle of writing a dark oneshot with those two, so expect that. I forgot to mention my reviewers in the last chapter, so I'll take this opportunity to give a collective thanks to you all.**

**Chocolategirlie: Thank you! :3 It was very awesome. I got a, er... calendar. With penguins.**

**Arcane Wonders: Thank youuu 8D And yes it was, I'm glad you picked up on that.**

**Katherine Mortez: YAY. NOM. Cake is good. Thank you very much! :D I almost didn't recognize you.**

**ShowerCurtainsTurnMeOn: Thank you :D**

**Turrislucidus: OOoh, I do so love long reviews. That brightened my week considerable. Thank you!**

**IWillBeMe: *Is pelted with cookies* YAY. One of life's greatest pleasures is having cookies thrown at you. There's nothing like it.**

* * *

"Happy New Year, Alice." Willy said as soon as his lips left mine. He kissed my forehead lightly.

"Happy New Year." I returned and gave a small shiver, despite being in his embrace.

"Cold?" He asked, drawing me a little closer, which was a particularly hard feat.

"A little." I admitted.

"Why don't we go inside?"

I shrugged. "I'm always cold. I don't mind."

"I don't think that's a very good sign. Let's go inside." He unwrapped his arms from around me but put one around my waist and we walked into the elevator side by side.

"Where to?" I asked.

Willy twiddled his fingers, looking at the wall of buttons, arm slightly extended.

"Shall we go to your room?"

I shook my head. "My room's boring. I've never seen _your_ room, though. I want to see it."

"You've _never_ seen my room?" He asked.

"No." I raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" He asked in disbelief. I smiled in confusion.

"Yeah, really."

"That's weird." He pressed the button. "Off we go, then!"

"I thought you were supposed to have a photogenic memory or something." The elevator dropped straight down and I felt slightly nauseous. Within a few moments we were back inside the factory.

"Photo_graphic _memory. And yeah, I do. Only, heh, it doesn't work so good on you're fifth day without sleep."

I stared at him for a time, an expression a mixture of concern, awe and disapproval on my face.

"You should take sleeping pills or something." I eventually said. "Or tranquilizers. That's not healthy. Jesus. I though _I_ was tired and I've only missed one."

Willy giggled. "Oh, not to worry. I get by fine."

"…Sure."

The elevator took a sharp corner and hurtled to a stop.

"We're here!" He trilled, stepping out into a dark, unlit corridor. "Lights on."

The lights turned on one by one, illuminating the corridor. It wasn't as long as I was expecting, and there was a purple door at the very end. On it, there was a golden plaque with Willy's name on it. The walls were shiny and white, just like the floor. We started walking. As we went along, I noticed the lights that ran along the walls getting slightly bigger and the corridor becoming slightly wider with every step. Willy rummaged around in his pockets and pulled out a bunch of keys.

I frowned. We had been walking for far longer than I'd thought. I realized that it was probably another illusion, like the one in the main hall. That one made you think everything was further away, while this one made you think it was closer. Interesting.

Eventually we reached the door. It was big, almost double the size I originally thought it to boy. Willy unlocked the door with one of the keys and pushed it open.

There were two doors. "Ladies first." He gestured with a graceful hand. I stepped in and he closed the door behind us.

The room was immense, built with odd, sweeping angles. A semi-circle jutted out from the otherwise angular room to my right, the entire portion of the wall made from glass. The window overlooked the snow-covered city. I could still see a few fireworks going off in the distance. A modern lounge suite was placed in that area.

A fireplace sat on the opposite side, flames flickering and dancing lazily on top of a log. I stared, mesmerized as the blue flames blended into an electric purple to beautiful color in between pink and purple and then to a warm shade of magenta.

A number of shelves lined the striped purple walls, scattered around randomly. Hundreds, if not thousands of ornaments, trinkets and weird and wondrous things sat atop them. You'd think it'd look like a messy clutter, but somehow, unsurprisingly, he'd managed to make it all look perfect. Neat. A number of strange painting decorated the walls.

I saw double doors across the room, and another one to my left. The one across from me was half open and I could see a few articles of clothing hanging on a rack. It must have been the wardrobe. There were a few other doors dotted around the room, but they were all closed and so I had no clue as to what might be behind them.

The four-poster bed sat across from the fireplace, with a dressing table next to it. The extravagant bed sheets were patterned and a deep plum color. Sitting on top of the bed were a heap of pillows, arranged with care. There was a wooden trunk engraved with beautiful patterns at the very end of the bed.

I walked across the carpeted floor to the center of the room.

"I don't even know how you could stand being in my room all the time. Look at yours, it's _awesome_."

"Well, it's not like I got to your room to sight see."

I walked over to one of the shelves. "You have so many things."

"These are all things I've collected over the years. Special things. Collectibles, one might say. That there is the headdress worn by the first chief Oompa Loompa, Daryoomp. It's a few thousand years old, but I managed to restore it to near perfect quality. The Oompa Loompas presented it to me as a token of their gratitude when they first came to my factory." Mr. Wonka smiled.

"What's this?" I asked pointing to a blue glass ball. It was beautiful, and the inside seemed to swirl around mystically.

"Ooh!" He picked it up and put it in my hands. "Listen."

I hesitantly put the ball next to my ear, somehow feeling as if I were ruining this magnificent thing with how ordinary I was. "I can't hear anything." I said.

"Just wait. It's really quiet, but it's there."

A moment of absolute silence passed and I strained to hear anything. After a while, my ears began to pick up a quiet sighing, whispering sound. I couldn't make out much of it.

"… Ephemeral beloved…" I could only make out a few words now and then. "…great divide…dysphoria…" I pulled away.

"I don't understand. Something about 'beloved' and 'divide'. Don't know the last word. What is this?"

"It whispers the future."

"Oh." I frowned. "I suppose that makes sense. You're my beloved and.. y'know, we'll be divided soon." I trailed off, handing him back the ball. He placed it back on the shelf.

"At home, I have this teddy bear that talks when you squeeze it's ear. It's waaay cooler than anything you have here. Pfft." I joked in an effort to lighten the conversation.

"I have one too." He pointed one of the shelves across the room, near the couches. "Kinda. This one doesn't talk, though." I walked over to the shelf. The bear was small, tattered and threadbare. What a curious thing to have something like this surrounded by things like fortune-whisperers and ancient headdresses. I couldn't help but liken this shabby little bear to myself.

"That was Emily's." His voice had lost it's usual warmth and cheerfulness. Willy walked up to the shelf too, lightly tracing a finger over it's leg. That name sounded familiar. Well, of course it did. It was a pretty common name, but I couldn't help but-

"Oh! Emily!" The little girl in the car, her throat slashed to ribbons. Her name had only been mentioned once by the mother but the memory came rushing back, choking me. I suddenly felt slightly nauseous.

He looked at me.

"The crash… I saw it in the Abyss." I explained. He nodded.

"Really? Well, that saves a whole lot of explaining that I don't necessarily want to do." He was in front of me and I couldn't see his expression, but I hugged him from behind.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that." I said gently.

"I don't even know how it got in my bag. Maybe Barry hid it from her. It was her favorite, after all, and it wasn't uncommon for the two to get into a quarrel." His voice sounded breathless.

"Oh."

A moment of silence passed and I released my hold on him, placing a hand on his arm.

"This is making you sad. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"No, it's okay. I don't mind talking about it. I've never gotten the chance to tell anyone else… not in a while." The smile was back, but it didn't really reach his eyes. "Sorry for being such a killjoy, heh." He sat down on the couch that was nearest to him, suddenly looking exhausted but grinning once again. "So, are ya excited about seeing yer parents soon?" I sat down on the couch opposite him.

I hesitated slightly at the use of the plural word, but smiled anyway. "Oh, it's just me and my mom but I'm really looking forward to seeing her. I miss her a lot."

"Your f-f-" He winced. "Sorry. He passed away?"

I nodded. "Yeah, 4 years ago. I was 12 at the time. He worked as a bank teller. Shot in a robbery. He was a good man." I smiled.

"I'm sorry for your loss. So much death and destruction on such a lovely evening." He said, giving a short, suppressed laugh. "What's your mother like?"

"She's wonderful. Doesn't look a thing like me, though. I look more like my father. She's caring, cheerful, funny and loves to cook. I think you two would get along."

He smiled. "Oh really? What does she look like?"

"Blonde, greying hair, brown eyes… hold on. I have a picture somewhere." I pulled my phone in my pocket and scrolled through the pictures until I found the one we'd taken right before I'd left for the factory. I stared at it for a few seconds, noticing how much I'd changed since coming here. I showed him the photo.

"You do look a bit like her." He stared at the photo for a long time, almost frowning. A put my phone back away.

"A bit. Can I ask you something?"

"Absolutely."

"What did you do after you left your Uncle's house? Where did you go? How did you end up being the Worlds' most amazing chocolatier? Sorry, I'm just curious."

"Well, it's quite a long story."

"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." I made a show of reclining on the couch and getting comfortable.

"Alrighty then. Well, after I ran away I got put into an orphanage. They don't like children roaming the streets, you see. It was absolutely _horrid_. There were many children but food was scarce. Winter was the worst. Food became even more hard to come by and you couldn't sleep at night because it was as cold as death. It was impossible to get warm. It wasn't a rare occurrence to wake up and find the nuns dragging the frozen, malnourished bodies of children out of the room, tied up in their thin bed sheets." Willy broke off, eyes cast down but wide with the horror of the memory. He blinked and shook his head. There was a lump in my throat. I pulled my legs up, wrapping my arms around them.

"The people who ran it, they didn't care about you one iota. Get the chores done and you wouldn't get scolded. Things were run differently back then, and the poverty certainly didn't help. I ran away a year later when I was 15 with a… friend I'd made there. We were both old enough to work and we had the good fortune to get jobs at a small candy shop on the corner of Cherry Street. It wasn't very good. The candy was simple and almost tasteless, made without love, care or expertise. The shop itself was infested with cockroaches and never seemed entirely clean no matter how much I scrubbed, but the owners weren't cruel and they paid us fairly for what we did. At the time though, it felt like heaven. Finally being able to do the things I loved, instead of constantly struggling to keep my head afloat. Eventually we'd saved enough money to rent out a small apartment a few blocks away between the two of us, even though we technically weren't allowed to because we weren't of age. Times were hard though, and they didn't refuse someone willing to pay for a room. I was allowed to take the leftovers from the candy shop and I'd experiment. I'd create wild new flavors, strange candies and recipes, wonderful, innovative new inventions… but they sold the shop 2 years later. They couldn't afford to run it anymore. So I set up a stall in the market square and me and my friend sold the candies we, or mostly_ I_, invented. They sold like mad. No one had ever tried candies and chocolates like ours before. People would travel _miles_ just to get a taste of them." His eyes were far away and he was smiling ever so slightly.

"Who was your friend?" I asked.

He snapped back into reality. "Huh? Oh, I'd rather not…" He giggled.

"Did you have a _girlfriend_?" I winked jokingly, drawing out the word. He blinked and then burst into laughter.

"Girlfriend? Me? Ha! No _way_." His laughter died. "His name was Slugworth."

I blinked, shocked. "Whoa, _the_ Slugworth? The one who stole your recipes?" Disbelief colored my tone. "You guys were… _friends_? How? I saw a picture of him once, he looked so _old_."

"The very same. I'll be getting to that later. Anywho, us two, we were like two peas in a pod. Both orphans with a chocolate dream. Well, I technically wasn't an orphan but you get the gist. Slugworth was an angry person. Angry at the world for being so cruel to him. Angry at his parents for abandoning him. Angry at the other orphans for rejecting him. I was different than him. Calmer, colder, but equally as rotten, really. He held me close because he came to rely on me to get him out of the messes he made. We had arguments, but he'd always come crawling back. After a while, he became involved with… the wrong crowd, I guess. Became involved with narcotics and such, although he claimed it was his own decision. They can really age you, especially methamphetamines, which may be why. He was only two years older than me. He quit but relapsed a few times when I knew him. I assume he never really fully quit, judging by how he looks now. As I said, it's just an assumption. He might just have bad genetics and luck, though. Anyway, he mentioned a few of his friends, Ficklegruber and Prodnose were into the whole candy making thing and ran small businesses uptown. He suggested we should pair up with them, but I resisted. I didn't trust them. So Slugworth continued to spend all of his money to feed his addiction, I spent mine feeding our small 'business'. After a while, he began to steal my shares too. A year later he bought a shop of his own with my money, and left me behind. He didn't want me anymore. I'd served my purpose. I was… so angry. I moved out of the apartment and got a new one over the other side of town. I didn't bother going to him and asking him to return what he stole. I knew him, and I knew that it would be a fruitless effort. So I worked harder, l got another part-time job at the local library and another one at the fruit market so that I could scrape up some extra cash. I worked long, hard hours, made more candy, experimented for hours on end so I could come up with new things every day. Every hour of the day was spent trying to succeed. It took a while, but I got there in the end. I bought that small shop on the corner of Cherry Street, renovated and redecorated the whole thing and everything got better from then on.

"Slugworth, however, had reached his plateau as soon as he bought that shop. It was the sunset of his career. I was always the one who came up with those complicated recipes, and without me, he wasn't doing too well. I, however, was at the top of my game and steadily improving. Even though I only had my small little store on Cherry Street along with a few faithful workers, we were a _hit_! I remember Slugworth would come into my shop and ask me if I wanted to work with him again. Ha. Pathetic. And but a few years later I purchased the factory with all the money I'd saved up. Slugworth couldn't stand how successful I'd become. It was like he'd held me under to keep himself afloat, but then I discovered a random blow-up boat underneath that was stuck in a piece of seaweed and freed it, knocking him back under as the boat resurfaced. Heh, I dunno. Forget I said that. But he sent in spies to work for me, to steal my recipes. One of them was Prodnose. He went under a fake name and worked closely with me. Other times, he would simply offer my workers money in to get the recipes. Out all of them, only one of the workers told me about what they'd been offered. _One_. I couldn't risk having them in my beloved factory when I couldn't even begin to tell who was lying and who wasn't, so I fired them all. The rest is history. But… do you want to know the real secret of my success? Why I didn't just give up? It wasn't a recipe. Slugworth could never have stolen it. It was you, kiddo, my 'guardian angel'." He chuckled. "I really did think you were some kind protector, watching over me all the time, wiping my tears when I was sad and keeping me company when I was lonely. I was determined not to disappoint you. I know I'd only seen you a few times, but I had nothing else to cling to. I was chasing a hallucination. Not _once_ did I think you were a girl on a Student Program who just so happened to stumble into the Abyss of my memories, but it's gotten me this far so I'm not complaining."

"So _that's_ why you love me." I said. For some silly reason, I could feel my eyes tearing up slightly but not in a bad way. My mind was reeling from everything he told me.

"Kinda. It's difficult to explain. The love you feel for a friend, that's what I felt all these years. When I met you in real life, that whole thing made me more… aware of you, I guess you could say. I was shocked at first. Maybe a teensy bit disappointed. But I came to love your personality and odd little habits and quirks and eventually, I fell in love with _you_, as a person."

"The question of why you would love someone like me has been eating away at me for ages. I'm glad I finally know now. I'm glad that I know you, too. How you came to be. Your story is extraordinary. Thank you for sharing it with me. You've been through a lot, haven't you? And, just for the record, you aren't rotten. Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future."

"You know so much about me, but I barely know anything about you. Tell me, Alice, what is your story?"

"My story? Well, it begins when I was born. I was a fairly average child with a stutter that wore off as I got older. Elementary school was average. I had two friends and I got pretty high marks in everything except mathematics and moved on to middle school. My number of friends dropped down to 1 because Stephanie moved to a different school. I got asked out for the first time in middle school and I panicked and ran into a wall, giving myself a black eye. He didn't bother me again after that. My grades slipped ever so slightly, too. I also broke my leg somehow at one of the school plays. I then continued on to high school, where my grades besides art, geography, history and English have reached an all-time low. After that, I had a stroke of luck and won a competition that my elderly neighbor recommended I should enter and here I am now!" I laughed and suppressed a yawn.

"Hehe. I can just imagine it, you panicking and running into a wall. Well, I think it's bedtime for you. We have a big day tomorrow, y'know!"

"Let's have another sleepover!"

"Naturally." He gave a crooked smile and reached into his pocket, brought out a small green remote and pressed one of the buttons. Within a few minutes, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Mr. Wonka called in a singsong voice. An Oompa Loompa entered, bowing deeply and strode over towards Mr. Wonka. He hopped up gracefully and stood in front of the Oompa Loompa, bending over slightly to my delight. Unf. Good lord do want.

"Afternoon, Androomp! I would be much obliged if you'd go fetch Alice's pajamas and a fresh set of clothes for tomorrow. 'Kay?"

"They're in the blue bag I left out, by the way." I added awkwardly. I could have gotten them myself, really.

'Androomp' looked over to me, nodded solemnly and then back at Mr. Wonka. He crossed his arms over his chest, bowed low again and left the room.

I stared at the door until it closed before turning back around and twiddling my thumbs and staring at the silver chain on Willy's vest.

"So… what now?" I asked after a moment of silence.

He giggled. "I dunno. Conversation doesn't flow as naturally as should do with me. At least without cue cards."

"Same with me half the time." I gave a crooked smiled.

"What do people talk about, anyway? How does one find a suitable, relevant subject to discuss? It confuses me. I suppose you could say 'Hello, how was your day?', but it's a bit late for that now, isn't it?"

"Indeed it is. I'll give it a shot anyway, because that's all I've got. Hello, Willy, how was your day?"  
"It was rather eventful. And yours?"

"Likewise."

Another moment of silence passed us.

"Okay, I give up. You should totally kiss me now. That'll keep your mouth busy for a while."

He giggled and took a few steps toward me- God, I loved the way he walked- and pulled us together. Lips caressed. My fingertips brushed his, separated by the latex barrier. My eyes fluttered closed, relishing the taste of his sugary sweet lips. He let out a tiny moan as my tongue began to explore his mouth. I felt the all too familiar passion flutter around in my stomach as his body was pressed against mine, hands caressing. However, this time it was different. The flutter of desire blossomed and spread out. Up to my heart, make it accelerate. Up to my head, confusing my thoughts and heating up cheeks. It spread downwards with a slight tingling sensation right to the tips of my toes. Warmth flooded through me.

_Knock Knock_.

"God damnit." I muttered, letting go of him. That Oompa Loompa sure was fast. He'd only taken about a minute and a half at the very most. But then again, time seemed to reshape itself when I was in Willy's arms. Hours seemed like minutes and minutes seemed like hours and giraffes seemed like elephants.

Mr. Wonka giggled slightly, lightheadedly, and released his hold on my waist. I saw that his cheeks were ever so slightly pink. That was a first. I don't think I've ever seen him blush.

"Sorry." He took a second to compose himself and then spun on his heel, striding gracefully to the door and opening it.

"Thank you." I heard him say. "Night!" The door clicked shut and he moved back towards me.

"Those gosh darn interruptions. Now, where were we again?" He passed me my bag. I put it on the floor and grabbed his hands again, sliding my fingers slowly up his arms, across his shoulders, down his chest until I found the lapel of his coat.

"We were kissing because we're both too awkward to make conversation." I mashed my face onto his again with a newfound fervor. He squealed in both surprise and delight and I took a few blind steps backwards until I bumped into the edge of the bed. I sat myself down on it, pulling him down with me by the lapel of his coat. He stumbled forward onto me with an almost girly yelp of surprise and his forehead knocked my nose. I laughed, my eyes tearing up. I wasn't really hurt, but they always seemed to tear whenever I hurt my nose. Willy gasped.

"We should stop." He said.

"I'm fine. I'm not hurt." I was still shaking with laughter, but I wiped the tears away.

"Very well, but.. you know… we shouldn't get carried away if you get my drift."

"Your drift is gotten. Getting carried away is fun, don't dis it 'till you try it."

"Fun and morality are two distinct things. They aren't always in conjunction."

"Awh, fine then. It was worth a shot, anywho. I'm gunna go get changed now."

"Sure thing. You can get changed in the dressing room, just through those doors." He pointed to the double doors I'd noticed earlier.

"Thanks!" I hopped off the bed, bent down and grabbed my bag and carried it to the room, pushing the door shut.

My eyes widened briefly as I took in the room. Jeez, Willy had a lot of clothes. The room was only about half the size of the other room, but the other room was colossal so this one was big too. It was maybe the size of the kitchen and lounge room at my house. Shelves, racks and cupboards lined the walls. Drawers sat at the bottom of the room, continuing all the way around. Full length mirrors were dotted strategically around the room. It was all very organized, with everything in their assigned place. Possibly hundreds of coats and vests of varying shades and patterns hung on the back wall. To my right, the trousers were neatly folded and stacked on shelves. Shirts and tops hung on racks and yet more things folded up on the top shelves that I couldn't quite see. To my left were shelves and shelves of top hats and shoes along with a large cupboard.

The smell of sweet, sweet candy that permeated the room was almost overwhelming. Almost, but not quite. I wondered what laundry detergent he used.

I thought back to my closet, my room. It was small and square, probably about half the size of this room. The walls were off-white and the floors were wooden. I had a single bed, a desk and a small bookshelf. I even had a computer, although it was still on Windows XP. My closet was tiny. I think if I tried really hard and squashed them in tight I could fit 15 coats in there.

I grinned, suppressing a chuckle and began to get changed.

* * *

We spent the rest of the night doing things like snuggling and talking and sadly not getting 'carried away'. But, I couldn't help but notice that as the night wore on, the jokes and laughter lessened and feelings of sadness and apprehension reared their heads. At almost three o'clock in the morning, I finally fell asleep in Willy's arms. He wore just as many clothes to bed and he wore during the day, even the gloves. The only part of him you could see was his face and a tiny, tantalizing slither of his neck. I felt practically naked next to him, in my shorts and t-shirt.

* * *

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" I felt someone shaking my shoulder lightly. I groaned, turning over and pulling the remarkably soft covers tight around me.

"Come on, sunshine, up ya get. We have a big day ahead of us!"

My eyes flashed open, remembering. A surge of pain made me screw my eyes back shut. I pulled the covers over my head.

"I don't want to go." I said, my voice muffled.

I heard him hesitate slightly. "You hafta. Dontcha miss your mother? Or whats-her-name… Brittany? We mustn't dilly-dally!" His voice was too bright. I reluctantly moved the covers back down and looked over at Willy. He was standing next to the bed, already dressed and looking as perfect as usual.

"It's Beth. But I still don't want to go. That doesn't mean I won't, though. I know I have to. But it's funny, even though I'm with you right now I miss you so much more at this moment than I missed mom and Beth in these whole two months."

Probably because I was certain I was going to see them again. I didn't know when, or if, I would ever see Willy next.

"What's the time?" I asked emotionlessly, changing the subject.

"8:30."

"It's so early." I sat up, rubbing my eyes.

I got myself out of bed and yawned, stretching. I shoved my shoes on and chucked a jacket over my top, grabbing my bag.

"I'm gonna go back to my room and get ready, okay?" I gave a smile.

"Alrighty. Shall we meet in the cafeteria?"

"We shall." I replied. He leant in for a kiss, but I pursed my lips, shaking my head.

"We shouldn't get carried away." I explained. He smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I kid. I have to brush my teeth. No kisses until then."

"Yes, ma'am." But he gave me a small peck on my cheek.

I went to walk out, taking one last glance back at the amazing room before heading to the elevator.

* * *

I arrived at my room a few minutes later, and jumped straight into the shower, taking a bit longer than what was really necessarily. I eventually shut the water off with reluctance and wrapped the towel around me before the cold could get to me. I examined my reflection in the mirror while I dried off. I still had a few scars here and there scattered around my body, probably from the glass but they were faint and most of them had disappeared already. The area under my eyes were dark. To my annoyance, I looked gaunt and haggard.

After I'd brushed my teeth and got changed, I went to the Cafeteria.

* * *

Everyone, including Mr. Wonka was already there. I went and sat down in the empty seat next to him.

Kim was hunched over, her face buried in her hands. Next to her, Darcy's was resting her head on the hard surface of the table.

"Are you guys.. okay?" I asked as I sat down. Kim groaned.

"Hangover." Hayden explained, shooting them a disapproving look.

"Oh. I'm not surprised. Mr. Wonka, what time are we leaving again?" I asked.

"You'll be leaving at 2pm."

I nodded, saying nothing. Darcy lifted her head up to take a sip of her coffee.

"I have a headaaaache." Kim groaned.

"Well, what were you expecting?" Hayden said, but smiled. "Here."

He dug into his backpack that hung over the chair he was sitting on and slid a packet of aspirin over to her.

"YOU MARVELOUS HUMAN BEING." She shouted, and immediately popped a few pills out of the packet, chasing them down with a big gulp of Darcy's coffee.

After that, Willy and I spent the rest of the time we had in the Snow Room, which was about four hours or so. We talked. Swapped stories. Laughed. Smiled. Played a game or two. Hugged and kissed, fluff, more fluff, etc. I cried a bit. We even had a picnic using the candy that was in the room. My favorite was those little white 'flowers'. They tasted like heaven on a stick. But those four hours had ended before I knew what was happening. In theory, four hours should have been a long time. In reality, it seemed more like a matter of minutes.

Everyone was laughing. Someone must have made a joke or said something funny so I forced a smile and tried to at least chuckle. I think it came out as more of a choke. The others were too busy to notice but Willy did. I felt his hand on my thigh, squeezing reassuringly under the table.

When I turned my head to look at him I saw the questioning look in his eyes. Besides the fake smile that was plastered on his face, his expression is unreadable but he can tell I'm not enjoying this. I was trying, I really was, for his sake. But it was so difficult to make these last few minutes happier given the circumstances. His façade was better than mine.

I gave a weak smile to reassure him and he refocused on the conversation again. His hand stayed on my thigh. I liked it there.

My mind was too distracted to try and focus on the words people were saying. So I turned to look at him again.

His lips were moving, he was talking to Kim but I still didn't hear the words. His voice I did hear however. Silky smooth. Perfection.

I lowered one hand to cover his gloved one, still lying on my thigh, stroking gentle patterns on my skin through the jeans I was wearing. Lightly, I ran my thumb over the back of his hand. Every little touch had taken on new meaning. There would be few of them in the future. If any. Just a few more minutes and we'll be leaving the cafeteria for the last time. Facing the ravenous crowd that awaits us outside the gates, plastering fake smiles on our faces for the cameras and hoping the suppressed tears don't show up in the photos. For me, at least.

Weeks I had spent ignoring this moment. I knew it would come and when I thought about it, I was dreading it. So I ignored it. It had come faster than expected, faster than it should have...

Still we did our best to use what little time we had. Last night and today had been proof of it.

For the first time in a while I had been completely carefree and living in the moment. Without the big clock hanging over my head, counting down to zero, I managed to enjoy myself easily. The hourglass, while still down to the last grains of sand, forgotten. Well, for the most part.

Those memories made me want to grab him, kiss him, hold him and never let him go.

Someone had joked earlier about it being the last supper. One of the few bits of conversation I got. He'd given us bags full of chocolates, candy, special inventions that he hadn't even released yet. His being, his 'body' revolved around chocolate so it was kinda true. But we didn't get wine. I could have used a bit of that.

I'd been picking on a bar of chocolate more than anything. It was delicious but I just couldn't eat. My mind kept going over things that were said or not said, things we did and things we should have done. Things we might never get to do.

I snapped back to the conversation around me when I heard Willy announce that it was time. A quick glance at my watch confirmed that. My body suddenly felt like a bag of bricks, weighed down by dread. The others were standing. I stood too, but my knees shook slightly. Mr. Wonka grabbed two of my bags so I was left with one. I was glad for that. I don't think I had the strength to carry them all, with the way I was shaking.

Hayden and Kim went into the elevator first. There were too many bags for more to fit. Willy told Charlie to go with Tim and Hayden next and then we were alone.

Neither of us quite knew what to say. We'd be putting off this moment for weeks now and now that the opportunity had arrived, I was at loss for words.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow." He said softly.

"I don't want to leave." I admitted quietly, looking at my hands. A droplet of water fell onto my palm to my surprise. I quickly wiped my eyes.

"Ah, but dear, I'm afraid you have to." He gave a sad smile. "_La douleur exquise_."

Willy lifted a hand to trace lightly over my cheek, staring into my eyes, and I felt that all too familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach, the tightening of my chest that was now in both good and bad way.

"I'm going to miss you so much." I said.

"Not to worry. We'll see each other again in time." He said in an overly bright manner that made me anxious. I wasn't sure if it was just me, but I thought his smile looked frozen.

"Yeah, we will." I said, but I had no idea when that would be. "I love you. Just remember that, okay? I love you so much I can't even tell you.."

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, pulling me into a tight embrace. We stayed like that for a moment and then he let me go, smoothing down his coat.

"Are we ready?"

"Not even a little bit. Let's go." I wiped my eyes, and got my sunglasses out of my pocket to disguise my red eyes. We carried my suitcases into the elevator and we began our trip to the main hall.

* * *

One by one, the group stepped through the parted red curtains that fell from the ceiling and into the dark room full of puppets and props.

Willy walked in front, leading the way. He stopped when he reached the large metal doors.

"Gosh, I hate crowds." He muttered to himself and turned on his heel, slipping on his large, insect-like goggles in one fluid motion.

"I guess this is it, then. Time sure does fly. It's been an absolute pleasure to have you as my guests. Even though I mainly did it to boost publicity and sales like the last competition, it's really been fun. I hope you all had a marvelous time here. What am I saying? Of course you did."

Willy took Tim's hand and shook it, moving on to Hayden, Candice, myself and then finally Kim, who was standing the furthest away from him.

"Thanks for all the money and chocolate and stuff." She said and hugged him. He winced a little bit, but did not recoil this time. That was an improvement.

"Alrighty then," He said, recovering himself. "On to business. Kim and Candice, you'll be going into the car to the left. Hayden, Tim, Alice, you three will be in the car off to the right. The one going to the airport. Got it? Get it? Good. 'Kay, shall we press on?" He unbolted the dead lock and the doors slid open, the bright light spilling in along with the cheers of the crowd.

I shrank back slightly, taking in the sheer number of people waiting outside the gates. The crowd glittered and flashed like the ocean as people tried to snap photos of the chocolatier.

The last single grain of sand trickled through the hourglass and I felt a dazed feeling of emptiness settle over me.

But we proceeded forward towards the gates that were slowly opening with every step we took. Charlie and Willy stayed at the top of the steps.

I looked back at Willy. He waved at me.

"Take care!" He called out. Someone grabbed my arm. It was Kim.

"Come on, slowpoke. Stop dawdling." She towed me up to the rest of the group, talking excitedly about something that I couldn't quite hear.

As we neared the gates, I found myself wishing for more time. A few hours. Minutes. Seconds, maybe. I'd take what I could get. My life had shone so brightly in the time that I'd been with Willy. I didn't want to give up that happiness. But that was unrealistic.

And then before I knew it, the gates were closing behind me and I was in a car, watching as the factory disappeared into the distance.

Time doesn't wait for anyone. It can be so cruel, and yet we cling to it for dear life, always wishing for more of it.

And time did what time does best, it passed, and it ran out.

* * *

**Also, little side note, that bit about the orphanage was based on a presumable true (might be, might not be, I'm not saying anything) that I found whilst browsing the internets. I'm going to try and find the original and post it up on my profile or something for the curious.**


	52. Chapter 52: Beth

**Chapter 52**

**Beth**

**Rated:T (Language)**

**Warnings: Angst**

**Disclaimer:Yep, I own everything.**

**A/N: Hello there, everyone! Apologies for this late update. In case you didn't recognize me, this is SereneHalcyon. I've had this bloody username for years and I've been itching to change it for a while now, so here we are. 'Dysphasia' is defined as a language disorder marked by deficiency in the generation of speech, and sometimes also in its comprehension, due to brain disease or damage. So in other words it's completely irrelevant to everything and the only reason I picked it was because I liked the word. So yeah. I'm not too sure when the next update will be. I've written a good chunk of the next chapter already but I'll be without internet tomorrow for an indefinite amount of time. But I'll still be working on the story, so even if the update is really late, there'll still be a lot of chapters.**

**Anyways, as usual, enjoy, tell me if there are any errors, and review!**

**Katherine Mortez: Aww, thank you :D**

**Arcane Wonders: THANK YOU! All that made my day. I freaking love long reviews. You don't sound illiterate, by the way. xD**

**Turrislucidus: Thank you for your review! I listened to both the sounds and just... wow. You'd think I'd based the whole chapter on it, particularly 'Late for the sky'. But seriously, the lyrics are so precise. o-o**

* * *

I stepped out into the bustling terminal, eyes peeled and searching for a familiar face.

The sounds of pandemonium surrounded and engulfed me, even though the sun had long since disappeared behind the horizon. The indistinct chatter of hundreds of travelers, the loud, clear voices of airline personnel announcing gates and loadings, the frequent shaking resonance of airplanes landing and taking off all resonated throughout the terminal, blurring together and creating one blaring tumult.

Large groups and entire families waited excitedly for loved ones, holding signs and some balloons. My eyes scoured through the throng of people until I found a single, tired looking woman standing there alone in the center with a smile under her face.

I got a few looks of recognition as I walked past them. They'd probably seen me in the newspaper or something. As soon as I'd turned my phone on after getting off the airplane, I saw that Kim had sent me a text. Attached, to my horror, was a picture of my face on the front of The Times newspaper as I tried to make my way through the crowd, Hayden wincing in the background.

"Students head home after 2 month stay in the worlds' largest chocolate factory" it was labeled in all caps. The article itself had even more unflattering photos of me, but the main spotlight was on Kim, who took it upon herself to pull the weirdest faces and poses known to mankind.

When got off the plane, there were still a few strangers who called out my name, but I was glad there were no more cameras. I remember being bombarded with cameras, film crews, news reporters and microphones as soon as I stepped out of the car and into the airport in London, all of them begging for details about the factory. I kept my mouth shut and continued on, clinging onto Hayden's arm for as long as possible until we had to part ways. A small crowd had even assembled outside the airport's doors, which was pretty amusing to me.

"Mom!" I called out almost involuntarily and walked as fast as my bags would allow me towards her. She hugged me tight for a long moment and then let me go.

"Look at you! You look like a different person, Ally!" She cried with an affectionate grin, but then frowned disapprovingly. "You've lost so much weight. Didn't they feed you there? When was the last time you slept?" She pinched my cheek.

I shook my head, chuckling. "It's a chocolate factory, mom. And you can't talk. You look pretty awful yourself. Oh, again thank you for the Christmas present. It's wonderful."

She started smiling again. "Oh, that's okay. I thought you would like it. I've missed you so much. It's been so lonely without you, honey!"

"I missed you too." It was a weak reply, but it was all I could muster up. It was certainly nice seeing her again. A relief, almost, after all this time. Finally having a familiar face, but it wasn't exactly the face I wanted to see at the moment, as horrible as that sounds.

She patted me on the back. "You okay? You must be pretty tired. Let's go home now. Nancy brought some home-baked cookies over earlier today just for you. You could use them." She grabbed one of my suitcases and we headed back to the car, bracing myself for the interrogation.

* * *

I walked through the doors, inhaling deeply, breathing in all of the familiar scents that I had missed so dearly. My eyes wandered around the living room and kitchen, everything precisely how it was when I'd left it, apart from the small Christmas tree next to the couch.

My mom walked over to the dining table, slinging her coat and bag over one of the chairs.

"Do you want something to eat now?" She asked me.

"No thanks, mom. I had something to eat on the flight." I told her. She walked back over to me and gripped both of my shoulders, just smiling at me.

"I'm just so glad you're back."

"Me too." I said. Lied.

She gave me a little pat before letting me go.

"The factory was on TV earlier today. They showed a bit of footage, but I didn't see you." She said, walking back towards the kitchen. She filled the kettle up.

"Thank god." A bit of relief seeped into my voice. "I-I think I'm gonna go to bed now. I'm so tired."

"Okay hon. Night!"

I smiled and went to my room, dumping my bags on the ground and closing the door tightly behind me in an almost dazed state. My fingers lingered on the knob for a few seconds before I turned around to look at my room. Exactly how it was before I came to the factory. Before Willy. Before everything. Tears welled in my eyes and before I could hold them back they were spilling my cheeks, the memory of his face appearing in my head once again. Memories of us. Holding each other under the stars and the fireworks. Sharing our first kiss on top of the frozen ground. Sharing our last in the snow room. His strange and beautiful eyes. His red, perfect lips. All of those memories and everything in between.

I cried myself to sleep that night, finding comfort only in the lingering memory of him holding me as I drifted off to sleep. It was only yesterday, but it seemed a million miles away.

* * *

Delicate whispers, from the early hours of the cold December mornings and the late, lucent nights seeped into my thoughts and rang like sweet bells in my head. The words he spoke to me. Words that I could never forget. The orange glow of the streetlight fell in slanted rows across the bed, illuminating the heavy blanket in pieces. My eyes were swollen from all of the pathetic weeping I'd done last night. The weakness I'd given in to.

There would be no more of that.

I curled up beneath half of the blanket, knees pulled to my chest as if my feet were fleeing from the light. Maybe they were. Maybe all of me was actively seizing up, trying to escape the harsh illumination of the truth. It was only a matter of time. Soon the street lights would die off, making way for the lurid, brilliant morning sun that would cast out any shadow of a doubt that Willy was gone. Really gone.

By the time dawn broke and the harsh morning sun flooded into my room, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, folding the last shirt that came out of the suitcase. I placed the clothes in my tiny wardrobe.

* * *

When I emerged from my room, I found that my mother was already awake, polishing the kitchen counter.

"Morning." I greeted her. My voice sounded empty.

"Good morning, sweetie. You're up early. Want me to make some pancakes?"

"No thanks. Do you think Beth will be up by now?" I grabbed the phone off the counter and dialed her number.

She stopped polishing with a start. "N- I don't… Alice, we should talk."

"…We're sorry; you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. If you feel you have reached this recording in error, please check the number and try your call again." The voice of the recording said in a neat, sanitized voice.

"Why is Beth's number disconnected? Did she get a new phone?"

She sighed, pressing the sides of her nose and walked slowly around the counter to sit at the table.

"Sit down please, Alice. I.. I need to tell you something. Something that I should have told you before."

I hung the phone up, my stomach in knots for some reason I couldn't explain. Frowning, I sat down across from her.

She rested her face in her hands. I hadn't seen her do that in a while. She suddenly looked exhausted.

"Beth was in a car accident two weeks ago."

My mouth fell open. "Oh my god, is she okay?"

She blinked, her mouth opening but no words came out.

"She's okay, right?" I said in a louder voice than I expected.

She closed her mouth. "I'm so sorry. I should have told you as soon as it happened. I didn't want to ruin your stay at the factory." Her voice was strangled. I shook my head, standing up so suddenly that my head spun.

"What are you saying? She's okay, isn't she? She's in hospital?" I thought my voice sounded slightly crazed.

"Beth is dead."

A few seconds of dizzying dread went by. I felt sick. "No she's not. You're lying. She's not dead. That's not possible."

"She was in a coma. The doctors said she wouldn't wake up. Her parents made the decision to pull the plug."

I shook my head. "You're lying."

"Alice-"

"Shut up. Just, shut up. You're lying!"

"Alice! Beth is dead. I'm sorry, I know how… crazy this sounds. I know. But… it's the truth."

I couldn't speak. Beth was dead. _Beth was dead_. Those three words resonated through my head like an echo.

"I'm so sorry." Her voice cracked.

I found my own voice. "Why… why didn't you tell me. Don't I have a right to know? I'm her best friend. I should know these things. You should have told me."

"I didn't want to ruin-"

"You didn't tell me Beth was dead just so I'd _have a better time_?" I almost screamed at her. I caught myself, and tried to calm down. No more weakness. No more weakness.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing. Please." I asked in an agonized whisper. "W-when…?"

"Two days ago."

"Oh god." I sank back down into the chair. I hid my face in the palms of my hands. "The funeral…?"

"The day after tomorrow. We waited so you could be there."

I bit my lip, my face scrunching up in pain. But I nodded. "Okay. Alright."

She studied my face for the longest time, maybe waiting for me to cry or something. I'd probably wasted them all last night. They were selfish tears. I felt angry. I didn't know who at. I think it was mainly myself. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't angry at her. Of course I was. She had her reasons to keep it from me, but she still did.

"I know it's a big thing to take on, especially after just getting home. I really should have thought this through better."

"Anything else you've been keeping from me?"

"No."

I nodded. "I'm going out for a while. I don't know when I'll be back."

I went into my room, grabbing my bag and my coat and left the house.

* * *

I didn't return until late.

When I walked out that door, I had no idea where I was going. Away. I just had to get away. Away from all of the memories of her. The sporadically placed stickers that we'd stuck on the side of my wardrobe as children. The pictures of us on my wall. The red stain of my mother's nail polish on the carpet that we'd been unable to get out. Everything that had to do with Beth in the slightest suddenly jumped out at me.

I kept walking until I found a bus stop and got on the first bus that came. I didn't care to check where it was going. I rode it until I came to train station and took a train somewhere else.

It didn't take me far enough. I wanted to go away. Further. To Wonderland or something. Wonderland. Where everything was perfect and there was no pain. No loss. No goodbyes and no hellos. Where nothing had to make sense. My thoughts were confused and frantic, they didn't make sense at all. I could do with a Wonderland. I wonder why Alice ever left in the first place.

Before I knew it, it was dark. I was sitting on a park bench. Somewhere. It was raining all over my hair, my clothes, but I couldn't muster up the energy to put my hood over my head. The rain fell down my cheeks like the tears I couldn't shed, soaking my hair and my clothes.

I dared to remember the goodbye Beth and I had shared. Suddenly, I recalled the note she'd given me that day, the one I'd shoved thoughtlessly into my bag as I walked away from her. Our forgotten promise.

With a shaking hand, I reached into my bag, unzipped the compartment I'd put it in and read her last message to me.

"_Distance never separates two hearts that really care_."

And within tears of falling rain, I pressed her message to my heart, wondering how true that really was.


	53. Chapter 53: Hourglass

**Chapter 53**

**Rated: T**

**Hourglass**

**Warnings: Language, Willy/OC**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Now excuse me while I go cry myself to sleep again.**

**Theme song for chapter: "She Said" By Rin Oikawa.**

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, couldn't help it. Anyways, here's another chapter. Do tell me if there's any mistakes, typos, awkward, illiterate sentences or simply the things you don't like.**

**ShowerCurtainsTurnMeOn: Thank you very much for your kind review, it means a lot. :)**

**Arcane Wonders: Ermagerd haha. Thank you! Happy belated new year to you too. **

**RedEyeOreos123: Thank you very much! :D We aim to please. Merry belated christmas to you as well. **

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* * *

Days passed. Weeks. Months. All of them were blurred together in my memory, none of them worth remembering.

I didn't speak with Willy again.

At the beginning, I'd tried called him a few times but he never answered or returned the calls. I gave up after the first week or so and never tried again. The fact that he never contacted me said quite a lot.

So I moved on with my life. Or as much as I could, anyway. It's hard to look into the future when so many of your most precious memories come to mind. People like Beth, like Willy, they couldn't be forgotten.

It seemed like everyone wanted to know about the factory and the great Willy Wonka, so that made it difficult to forget too. About a month after I'd returned home, the group and I were asked to do an interview for some show about our stay at the factory. The other kids from the first tour were also invited, but only Augustus and Veruca showed up. We technically weren't allowed to talk about the contents of the factory itself and the people who were interviewing us knew that, so we mainly answered questions about what it was like and so on. It was really great catching up again with everyone that day, even meeting the two from the first tour. Augustus had lost a lot of weight compared to how he looked on TV before the tour. Veruca didn't talk much and seemed a little sullen at first, to be honest, but seemed to cheer up when she was asked questions about herself. Augustus seemed nice enough, although Veruca was pretty bitter and petulant.

For the first time in a while, everything felt somewhat normal again. I'd missed them so much. We went out to lunch afterwards. I learnt that Hayden had come out to his parents via email a few weeks before the last Christmas, and they disowned him, being the orthodox Catholics they were. So he moved to New York and got an apartment, where he threw the most awesome parties 24/7 and he never had to clean the litter box or stack the firewood again. He claimed that he wasn't on the losing side of the bargain, but you could see it was a painful subject for him. Eventually, we all parted ways. Candice and Kim had flights to catch, Tim had people to see and Hayden had parties to throw. When they left, they took that ephemeral sense of happiness and familiarity with them and left me alone once again.

I couldn't help but wonder if Willy would watch the interview.

My relationship with my mom worsened as time went on. I'd changed. I wasn't the same person I'd used to be. In my anger, I'd pushed her away. I ended up apologizing to her later for the way I'd treated her, but the damage had already been done. Things were never really the same after that. I found a new container of anti-depressants one day while looking for the aspirin. There was always that voice at the back of my mind wondering if that was because of me.

When I went back to school, it was much different than before, in the sense that everyone suddenly wanted to be my friend. I didn't know whether it was because I'd been to the factory and met Mr. Wonka and been on TV or simply because my best friend had died and they knew I was lonely. I leant towards the first option, though. Teenagers aren't really that kind. There's always something that has to be gained.

A guy in my literature class called Marvin asked me out a few weeks after I got back. I said yes. At the time, I had no idea what led me to make that decision, but I accepted. Maybe it was the loneliness. Before, I'd always prided myself that I loved being alone, the silence and the solitude that accompanied it. The freedom. I'd gladly spend weeks on end with just a few books and a computer and not feel a thing. But that was different. That was before, and now I could see what everyone was talking about. Solitude and loneliness were different things. I'd never understood how some people could think loneliness was the worst feeling in the world, and that was because I'd never felt it. Not for real. But now I did and it was like this horrible gap right in the middle of your chest and no matter how much cake your ate to fill it up, you couldn't make it go away. I ended my brief relationship with Marvin it a few weeks later after I realized I felt absolutely nothing for the guy. And so began the long string of bad relationships. I held them all at arms length, never getting too close. I'd become _that_ girl. The one that jumps from relationship to relationship every week or so and doesn't even look back. Some might say the school slut.

I thought that by seeing other guys, I was moving on from Willy and carrying on with my life. That was an outright lie I'd deluded myself into retrospect, when I though I was moving on, I was really just trying to recapture all of the things I'd felt before with him. I never I kissed someone, I would imagine it was Willy's lips I was kissing when my eyes were closed. It was shameful. Those were the only time I felt even the slightest of feelings, but even then it was faint and fleeting. You can ignore reality but reality won't ignore you.

No matter how many guys I dated, that gap was still there, right in the middle of my chest.

But as I said, through the loneliness, I moved on with my life. I wasn't the weak girl I once was. I was stronger. Or at least I thought I was. When I thought I was strengthening and fortifying myself, I was simply shutting off my emotions. Numbing myself. But that was what kept me going, really. I don't think I could have continued if I was constantly curled up in a ball and crying my eyes out. So I studied harder and my grades rose, much to my teacher's surprise. I got a decent part-time job and began saving up for something. Maybe a car or even a house or something. I made an effort to keep my newfound friends. I was trying my hardest to continue. I was living my life… kind of. I looked happy on the outside, which was all that mattered when it came down to things. On the inside, I was empty. I probably could have coped well enough with losing Willy, but when Beth died, that's when it all fell down on me. I shut off and ignored every feeling I felt because that was the only way I could cope and I came to rely on it. It's scary how easy it is, not feeling. You tell yourself not to… and then it's gone. I could feel mild satisfaction, sometimes a bit of annoyance. But nothing like happiness, anger, sadness. Love. But you learn to dance before the music stops and laugh before the joke is over. Avert your eyes before someone can see too far into them and smile before someone suspects anything.

Before I knew it, a whole year had passed since the factory. Another lonely year went by after that. In that year John and I started dating. We lasted four whole months. That was the longest relationship I had been in. I stayed with him because he was kind and familiar and I really did like him, just not in the way he was hoping. He was the one to end it. He told me he could see how unhappy I was, that he could tell I didn't feel anything towards him. We remained good friends afterwards, though. He was the end of the string. I didn't see anyone after him, realizing how selfish I was being.

On the brighter side, I got a license and a pretty good car, too. I realized how unhealthy I was mentally, and stopped shutting everything out when became too much for me. If something bad happened to me, I wouldn't keep it bundled up inside and talked to someone. I tried exercising and going on walks and stuff to healthier physically, but it really wasn't my thing and I dropped it after the first few hours. But it's the thought that counts, right? I still kept in touch with the group, talked to them often online and occasionally met up with Hayden or Tim, but not often as we lived pretty far away. And after all the work I'd put into my grades the year before, I graduated from high school the top of my class. A few years ago I was struggling just to pass most subjects.

The past two years had been a rollercoaster ride of emotion and numbness, loneliness and even some happiness sprinkled about in places, retrograde and progress. It was a bumpy ride with a lot of twists and turns, but now, things were beginning to get better. I was getting better.

* * *

"I'm home." I called out, removing my coat and kicking the door shut behind me. I heard someone rummaging around in the kitchen, and then the sound of a cupboard being shut loudly. I sat on the coach and flicked the TV on with the remote.

"Alice, where'd you put the scissors?" She called. I missed you too, mom.

"They're in my drawer. Why do you need them?" I called back, kicking my shoes off and rubbing my sore legs.

"I'm wrapping Kristen's birthday present. Oh, do you have tape as well?"

"Yup, same drawer."

"…_man found murdered in his home. Police are investigating…" _I switched the channel. Death was depressing.

"…_Everlasting gobstoppers! You can_-" My heart gave a small lurch before I switched the channel again, pursing my lips. A small hint of sadness tugged at me. My first instinct was to ignore it but I caught myself.

"Alice?" I heard my mom say. I turned around to see her standing in the doorway of my room, holding a few small pieces of paper. My mouth went dry as I realized too late what I'd hid in that drawer. What she was holding. Oh my. Speak of the devil. I stood up.

"What are these?" She flipped through the photos, and held the one with me and Willy up. I mentally kicked myself. Viciously.

"They're none of your business. Give them to me."

"Please tell me you didn't..." She trailed off.

"Give it!" I whined childishly, holding out my hand.

"This is serious, Alice." Her voice shook like her hands. She put one hand on her hip, and pinched the bridge of her nose with the other. "You were 16 years old. 16. And… you're _kissing_ a grown man! H-He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"He didn't do anything to me, mom. I don't want to talk about this." My face was hot.

"That is not your decision. Answer me, were you two together?"

"I said I don't want to talk about this."

She collapsed onto the couch. "Oh god. You were, weren't you?"

I don't think I could have gone a brighter shade of red. "We didn't do anything." My voice was shaking. I should have taken that chance to lie. Oh god, I should have just lied.

"That's beyond the point! The… the fact that he, a grown man would even _think_… ugh." She shook her head. "I've a right mind to go over there right now and give him a piece of my mind."

"You do that. You buy a plane ticket, sit on a 7 hour flight and then somehow make it through those huge gates. Why does this even matter, anyway? I haven't heard from him in 2 years."

"Good, and over my dead body you'll be seeing him again."

"Geez, that's a bit harsh, isn't it? Doesn't matter anyways. I wasn't planning to. Not that it's your decision. If I wanted to, I'd go right now."

"Not under my roof."

"Psh. I can do what I want. It's perfectly legal."

"Oh, I wouldn't be going on about what's legal and what's not, what with you being in a relationship with a, what, 40 year old man."

"49, actually." I corrected sheepishly. "Should be about 50, 51 now. And it's technically not against the law. We barely even held hands, for goodness sake." I half lied. It's true, we didn't do anything against the law, but we definitely did more than just hold hands.

"And come on! I'm sure there are worse things in life than having feelings for someone outside your _age group_." I scoffed. "War, murder, racism, whatever. As long as the feeling's mutual and you're old enough to think for yourself and make proper decisions, I think it's perfectly fine." I snapped.

She groaned, exasperated. "But _why_ would you go along with it, Alice? You know better. He should, too. What he did was wrong."

"Why did I go along with it? Because I fell into a realm of nonexistence and travelled back in time, breaking through some barrier and gaining access to people's past, which gifted me with a great amount of insight that made it difficult to _not_ to go along with it."

"Stop speaking in riddles and give me a straight answer."

I smirked. "Trust me, that's the straightest I can give."

"This isn't a joke, Alice. I can't believe you." She put her face in her hands.

"No mom, I can't believe _you_. You know what it feels like to love and have even that taken away from you. What would you do to have dad back?"

"I would do anything. But this is different!"

"No, it really isn't. And plus, he was like 9 years older than you, wasn't he?"

"9 is much less than 30. He's simply too old for you."

"Still. If anyone's in the wrong here, it's me. Honestly, he's like a 7 year old. I made the first move anyway. I understand where you are coming from as a mother. Or at least I can try to. You're worried for me. Worried that he might have pressured me into doing things or whatever. The truth is, he didn't. He would never have done anything to hurt me. Never would have even thought about pressuring me into anything. He trusted me and I trusted him."

"It doesn't matter. It's wrong." She snapped, dropping the photos in disgust.

"Right and wrong are just words, ideas created by society. Terms used to label and separate the things that conform with it and the things that don't."

"You're really not getting it, are you. This 'relationship' you have is _pedophilic_."

I frowned in disgust at that word. "No it isn't. You're the one that isn't getting it. I thought that you'd always accept me no matter what. I guess I was wrong. If you can't accept me, then maybe I'll leave." I spat the words out before I could think about them. I looked down, wishing I could take them back. I didn't really mean it, but it'd just come out.

She mouth tightened and she glared at me. I'd never seen her this angry.

"Get out." She yelled.

It was like a kick to the chest. It fucking hurt. I thought about Hayden and how our situations were pretty similar. Before I could stop them, tears sprung up in my eyes. Then the anger came.

"Fine with me."

* * *

I parked the car across from the block of apartments that stood across the road. Even from here, I could hear the music blasting from somewhere up the top.

Grabbing my coat and my bag, I got out of my car and locked it before walking across. I took the lift up to the 17th floor and went to Hayden's apartment.

Knock, knock, knock.

I could hear music and talking coming from inside.

The door opened, and Hayden stood there, holding a red cup in his hand, bopping slightly to the beat of the music.

"Hey Alice! What's up. I got your text, you okay?"

I shrugged. "I guess so. I had an argument with my mom."

"That's no good, isn't it? Come inside. Want a drink?"

"Thanks. Why not. Sorry, I didn't really know where else to go. We had this fight over something so fucking stupid and she told me to leave." I looked down at the sleeves I was fiddling with.

"Damn, that sucks. I know how it feels."

An attractive blonde appeared at Hayden's side and grabbed his shirt.

"Hayden… I-I have to tell you so-" She was clearly wasted, and fell forward onto him.

"Go home, Chloe. You're drunk." He mouthed me an apology and hauled her up, a second before she threw up the contents of her stomach all over his top.

"…Thank you." He nodded, his expression horrified. I stood there, eyes wide and watering from the smell.

"Justin, can you call a cab and make sure she gets to it?" He called. The guy name Justin yelled back an affirmative.

Hayden grabbed my arm and led me through the dancing crowd, stopping to grab a drink off the table and then heading for his room. He shut the door behind us and passed me the drink. I sniffed it.

"Beer?" I wrinkled my nose. I'd never had alcohol, save for a glass of wine I had on my birthday last year. I didn't like it.

"Drink up and drown your sorrows. So, what was this argument about?" He asked, whipping his shirt off and throwing it in the waste bin near the door. "Sound pretty heated."

I averted my eyes, but he went into the bathroom. I heard the tap running.

"I dunno… I-I don't know what you'd think about it.." I stammered.

"You're worried I won't understand?" He called.

"Kinda." I admitted.

"You know me, my mind's so open it's practically inside out. " I could almost hear him smirking. "No pressure, though."

I gave a small laugh. "Yeah, true. I guess I could... Well, uh, figuratively speaking… what are your thoughts on relationships with a 30 year age gap? Relationship as in hugging, kissing, holding hands, and some punching."

The tap shut off and he emerged from the bathroom again. He began looking through the wardrobe.

"Well, I suppose it's okay. Kinda different, and a tad creepy on the older guys part, but yeah. Depends who did the punching. Your mom didn't take it that well?"

"Definitely not. I did the punching."

"Awesome. So, when did you guys start dating? Do I get to meet him? Give him my seal of approval?"

"That's the thing, I'm not even with him now. I haven't spoken to him in years."

"Years… how old are you?"

"18, 19 in a few months."

"So that means you were underage." I heard the wariness in his voice.

"Well… yeah."

"You didn't have sex, did you?"

"Yikes. No way."

"Oh, okay. Well then yeah, just as long as you two kept your pants on then I guess so. Although the creepy factory has gone up quite a bit. But again, you said you haven't seen him in years, so it seems a bit pointless to kick you out now, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." I shrugged.

"So who was it?" He chucked a new shirt on and turned to me.

"I probably shouldn't…"

"Understood. Wait… holy shit, it wasn't Willy Wonka, was it? Oh god, I remember you always used to get so flustered whenever you were around him. And you guys would always be looking at each other and stuff." He grinned at the memory.

The beer went down the wrong way and I choked. "What? No. It wasn't him."

He looked at me. I flinched. He knew.

"It was him, wasn't it?"

"Okay, fine. I'm a crap liar, what can I say. If you tell anyone, I swear to god I will skewer your throat with a pen."

"Cross my heart hope not to be skewered with a pen."

"Good." I took another sip.

"But… wow. Willy Wonka? How the hell did you manage to get him to go along with it? I mean, I always thought there was something going on between you two, 'coz of all the staring, but I never even _thought_… and he absolutely _hates_ people and touching..." He trailed off in disbelief.

"It was a mutual decision."

"So… why did you guys end it?"

"Well, the study program wasn't going to last forever."

"Oh, right. Why don't you see him again?"

"The hourglass ran out of time long ago." I gave half a smile. "We're over."

"Then turn it over again."

I looked down. "I-I called him but he never answered. What does that say to you?" I shrugged.

"It could mean anything. You like him, don't you?"

"I loved him."

"Then _go and see him_. I'm not even kidding, buy a ticket, fly over there and talk to him. Hashtag yolo."

"Don't even say that." I rolled my eyes, smiling.

"No seriously, why don't you? Did he ever explicitly say he didn't want to see you again?"

"Well, no… he said we'll see each other again some day or something, but still."

"Then go. Even if it doesn't work out, you can still call your mother and just be all like 'hey mom, you know how to told me to leave? Well I'm in London now so suck it.', like me." He grinned.

I laughed, but actually considered what he was suggesting. "Why do you want me to go so bad?"

"Because that's what friends do. They pressure you into doing stupid shit. Just kidding. I mean, you're always so down in the dumps nowadays. It's because of him, isn't it? I want you to be happy, because I'm your friend. F is for friends who do stuff together, U is for you and me.."

"C is for chicken, the best damn food ever and K is for KFC."

"I was going for friends, but that works too." He laughed.

"Thanks Hayden." I smiled, taking another big sip. "You know what, I think I'm gonna do it."

"Really?"

"Yeah." I said, kind of dazed.. The alcoholic beverage fueled my insanity. "Why not? If I don't, there's always going to be that question of 'what if'."

"Exactly! You can stay at my place until you get everything sorted, if you want."

"That won't be necessary. I'm going now."

"Right now?" He spluttered.

"Right now."

"What about your clothes and stuff?"

"Already packed. My mom kicked me out, so I had to pack anyway."

"This is awesome." He fist-pumped. "Tell me how it goes, won't you?"

"Alright." I hugged him. "Thanks again, Hayden. I owe you."

"No problemo." He patted my back. "Good luck and have a safe flight. Tell Mr. Wonka I said hi. And that I still don't forgive him for making me wear a bow."

I let go, chuckling. "Will do. Well, I'll see you." My face suddenly turned serious. "But remember, I _will_ skewer you if you tell anyone."

He led me through the crowd again and waved me off. I got back in my car and suddenly the road was disappearing beneath me as I travelled further into the night, leaving my sense somewhere behind me.

_What the hell am I thinking._


	54. Chapter 54: Rain

**Chapter 54**

**Rain**

**Rated: T**

**Warnings: Language, Willy/OC**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Theme song for chapter: "Be With You" By James Newton Howard**

**A/N: Jebus, sorry for the really late update. Here's a pretty long chapter in return, full of fluff and whatnot. I've finished writing all of the chapters now, so they'll be up shortly. I've also been writing a few other stories which I might post later. Anywho, Thank you to the awesome reviewers *hug*. Enjoy!**

* * *

The rain fell in heavy sheets outside, pelting down onto the concrete sidewalks. I stepped outside, not caring that I didn't have an umbrella, into the torrent of rain that slapped heavily down on my cheeks.

My pulse hammered in my chest, uneven and accelerated as thoughts flew around my head, chaotic and confused as a moth in the dark.

_I am in London_, the words reverberated through my head repeatedly, and they seemed as strange and nonsensical as the act itself. It was crazy, irrational, insane, but it gave me a strange and addicting sense of excitement and a whole array of other emotions, emotions I hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. Nostalgia, worry, elation, exhilaration, panic, anxiousness and others that I couldn't even begin to identify. It was dizzying, almost, suddenly feeling so much after years of numbness.

Only yesterday I had been sitting behind the checkout, scanning the goods and hastily placing them into degradable plastic bags. On my lunch break, I'd been reading the newspaper, nibbling on a granola bar when I noticed for the first time in four hundred and seventy two days that the walls were painted a particularly ugly shade of green. Was it really only yesterday I'd been there? It seemed longer. Looking back, I seemed like a different person. Reasonably quiet and measured, rational and subdued. Not at all like my old self. Yesterday, I was the type of person who would debate whether to try and squeeze another item into one of the degradable plastic bags or start a new one instead of debating whether to take the next flight home or not. Everything was precise and ordered, instead of my usually disorganized self, and now here I was in London, possibly making the biggest and most stupid mistake of my stupid life. Here I was, standing outside an airport with two pairs of jeans, underwear and a shirt in my bag, wearing an inadequate amount of clothes in the cold, rainy country of England. I felt a pang of panicked regret rise up inside me. Suddenly I wished I was back at home, pretending to watch television with glassy eyes, where everything was ordered, reasonable and satisfactory. Now look at me, I was a mess. I felt like a dumb sixteen year old again, unmethodical and careless. Like the person I was used to. And god, how I'd missed her.

I couldn't go back to yesterday, because I was I different person then.

This could very well be the biggest mistake of my life, but then again it had the potential to be the best. Because really, what did I have to lose? Absolutely nothing.

And people with nothing to lose have everything to gain.

After I'd collected myself enough to walk properly, I hailed a taxi and got in.

"Where to?"

"The Chocolate Factory."

* * *

The ride to the factory took about an hour, and in that time I'd worked myself into a state of near frenzy. I kept telling myself to stay calm, but it was having the exact opposite effect. The apprehensive thoughts were only getting louder. What if he doesn't want to see me? What if he's busy? What if, god forbid, he's with someone else now? What will happen between my mother and I? Questions bounced around my head as I drummed my fingers against my thigh. Calm, Alice, _calm_.

Before I knew it, we were passing the all-too-familiar identical buildings that I'd spent so much time looking at from my window, and shortly we began to approach the factory itself. I allowed myself to peek up at the immense building, bringing on a whole new wave of frenzied emotion.

The car came to a stop and paid the driver, before getting out. My breathing and the pounding of my heart were erratic. I wasn't sure how much more this poor, half-thawed heart could take.

I moved forward through the rain to one of the smaller gates on the side. I saw a red button on top of a small silver box attached to the wall.

"Press for administration." It read. I vaguely wondered if that had been there the night I'd lost my key. If it had been, I was a blind idiot. Maybe he'd just installed it after or something. I had no idea.

I took a few quick breaths to collect myself, and found myself pressing the button.

"Do you have an appointment?" Asked a low voice.

"Doris?" I asked, my voice shaking because of the cold. I wished I'd brought a jacket. I was frozen to the bone.

"Yes? Do you have an appointment?" She repeated.

"Um. Not really. It's Alice."

"Alice Hatts?" There was a slight hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Yep, that's me. I want to speak with Willy."

"I'm afraid he is not available at present time. Would you like to leave a message?" The sanitized, professional tone was back.

My face fell in disappointment. "Oh. Um. No thank you. Where is he, by the way?"

"I am not authorized to disclose that information."

"B-but, why not? Willy knows me. So do you."

"I'm afraid that does not change our policy."

"Doris, please?" I begged. "I just want to see him."

A heard a sigh. "He is visiting the cemetery." She said reluctantly.

"What? Who died?" My voice shot up.

"I do not know whose grave he is visiting. Is that all?"

"Y-Yes. Thank you, Doris." I let go of the button, hauling my bags up and began walking briskly down the street. I turned right when I reached the end of the block, and switched to a jog as I turned the next corner, trying not to slip up on the wet ground.

I did get some weird stares from the people who dared to venture out, but I didn't care. I ran on, dodging people, benches and poles until I found the graveyard, which took around fifteen minutes. Panting, I opened the gate, emitting a long groan from the ancient metal, and trudged forward through the thick snow, panting. My eyes searched the surrounding area, looking for someone, something, anything. And then I found him.

He stood in front of a grave holding an umbrella in one hand an the cane in the other, about a hundred feet away, his back to me. My heart gave a great lurch and was suddenly in my throat, but a sense of calm had fallen over me like a blanket of snow. I walked forward quietly, slowly, footsteps muffled. It seemed to take forever. I twisted my wet hands together nervously, staring at the back of the pinstriped black coat, his beautiful silhouette, as I finally reached him. In my dreams, I never could. I reached out, maybe to touch him or get his attention or something but I couldn't bring myself to for some reason. I was frozen, like the ground beneath me.

Why was I here? What did I expect from him? I couldn't even answer those questions myself. Yet again, I'd made a stupid decision. What if he didn't want me? Why on earth would he? The questions that had so often plagued my thoughts suddenly came rushing back, and I was the same, insecure girl I was when I was at the factory. He had this effect on me. I thought back to the last day I'd spent with him, how he'd never really wanted me to stay. How he seemed almost… distant. The fact that he never returned my calls when I did leave. I could understand that, I suppose. Whenever things threatened to get too close with a guy I was dating, I'd push them away and shut them out. I'd always been like that, in a way, which was why I didn't have many friends. With Willy, it was different. I didn't mind letting him in. He'd changed me.

Maybe he felt like things were becoming too close, too intimate. After all, he had completely shut himself off from society for decades before Charlie, so solitude was his way of life.

Maybe I hadn't changed him. Not in the way he had with me.

My hand faltered, and I pulled back. I turned around to leave.

"Alice." He breathed in his smooth, musical voice, without any other indication he knew I was there. I froze. I didn't move. I didn't breath. I stared down at the ground, my eyes wide. Hesitantly, I turned around to face him, found him staring back at me, shocked. Something inside me twisted painfully as my eyes roamed over his beautiful face, a face I had dreamed so often about. My dreams had hardly done him justice.

And it was only then, seeing his face, that I realized how much I'd really missed him and how much I'd been suppressing. The first tear rolled down my cheek. And then another. I felt grateful for the rain.

"I flew a thousand miles just to hear you say my name." I said, attempting a smile. My eyes flickered to the headstone. Amelia Wonka. 15th June 1938 – 19th December 1967. Today was the 19th of December. He was visiting him mother's grave.

He just stared at me, his lovely mouth slightly open and his brilliant purple eyes wide, even more breathtakingly beautiful than I recalled. For the longest time, he didn't move or say anything. I stood there, trapped under his gaze. Transfixed.

And then he dropped the umbrella and strode quickly towards me, wrapping his arms around me and holding me tightly. I couldn't hold back the sobs that shook my body as he held me. He let go of me and held my face in his gloved hands. His eyes looked watery, I could have sworn he was crying if there hadn't been so much rain.

But then his eyes widened again, and he dropped his arms, stepping back almost… guiltily? My face fell slightly.

"Oh, Alice. What are you doing here?" Even though his voice was higher than usual in his shock, it had lost the childish ring to it that I'd remembered so distinctly.

"Someone once told me that distance never separates two hearts that really care." I answered. I took a tentative step forward, touching his hand lightly. His face became sad.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, looking down.

I shook my head in wonder. "For what?"

He pulled the hand that I'd been holding up to his chest. I frowned. "Gosh, I've made a mess of things."

"What makes you say that?" I asked. He lowered his eyes, shrugging. I'd never seen him like this.

I stood up on my tiptoes so that I was level with him and grazed a hand lightly against his soft, smooth cheek that was slightly wet. He tensed, but I leaned in slowly and brushed my lips against his. I felt his arms move around me and he kissed me back. He seemed almost as desperate for my touch as I was for his, the way he held me.

_Finally_.

I clung to him, my mouth moving fervently against his, overcome and overpowered by these emotions I'd fought both for and against over the past few years. Now, they came naturally, effortlessly. I felt the familiar glow of passion spread out through my chest, travel throughout my entire body. I felt his hat fall off, but he gave no indication that he'd even noticed. My hands roamed over his chest, his hips and linked around his lower waist, unable to stop thinking about how disrespectful kissing on his mother's grave was but at the same time not really caring. He gently pulled away and just held me against him, hugging me.

"Holy shit." I grinned, slightly out of breath. "I missed that so much. I missed you so much."

"I'd say I missed you too, but that would be a gross understatement." The familiar, almost childish undertone was back.

"What did you mean before?" I asked again, gripping his hands.

"Gosh, are you trying to get the flu? What were you thinking, coming out here in a t-shirt. And in the rain, too! Here," He removed his overcoat and put it on me. The rain hadn't gotten inside so it was warm and dry, but heavy and way too big for me. It dragged along the ground.

"Thanks." I was too frozen to refuse.

"Let's get back to the factory, why don't we?"

We walked to the elevator, which was parked in one of the car parks not far down the road. He got in, so did I.

After flattening down his damp hair and fixing his hat on top of his head, he pressed a button and suddenly we were flying. I gasped, forgetting how unsettling the elevator was. I vaguely wondered why he'd flown here, when it was only a few block's walk from the factory. But then again, I couldn't really envisage him walking anywhere.

"Seriously though, why'd you come all the way to London? I thought you lived half way across the world." He asked me.

"It's a long story." I looked away, the warm, fuzzy feeling dimming slightly at the reminder of my mother and my erratic, literal flight. But of course, it couldn't completely ruin my mood. Nothing could. For the first time in what seemed like forever, I felt good.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Fine." I said reluctantly, twisting the sleeves nervously. "You're not going to like it."

"Oh?"

"I had an argument with my mother. She, uh, she kinda found out about us two. I don't think she'd ever tell anyone, but she was pissed."

"Language, dearie." He chided gently, but his eyes were suddenly far away. The elevator neared the factory, passing over it's gates.

"Sorry." I said automatically. "As I said, she was _peed off_. And worst came to worst and she kicked me out, after I stupidly said that I'd leave if she didn't understand. Of course, I didn't mean it and she was angry, but it happened. So I went to Hayden's, watched some girl puke on him, then I explained to him the situation and-"

"You told him about us?"

"No, I didn't. I gave him a hypothetical situation involving a relationship with a 30 year age gap and he was okay with it. Then he asked who, I said no, but he just guessed. I denied it, but you know how crap I am at lying."

"I hope you like the taste of soap."

"Sorry." I repeated, slightly agitated. "And then he's all like 'oh, yolo, why don't you fly over there and talk to him' and I'm all like 'no' and he's all like 'no, seriously.' And then I'm all like 'well, yolo, I guess it wouldn't hurt'. And so here I am, dripping rainwater all over your elevator and rambling on like an idiot." I suddenly realized we were moving through the factory again, after coming in through some sort of entry at the side of the building. A watched as we passed through the rooms and past the machines, memories flooding back into my mind.

"So your mother has no idea where you are?"

"Well, no." I answered timidly, expecting a lecture.

To my surprise, he merely shrugged, smiling placidly. "Welp, her decision to give you your marching orders."

I raised my eyebrows, but didn't comment on it.

"So… you're in London." He continued. "You're gonna need somewhere to stay."

"Yeah, I have money, I'll stay at a hotel or something. I didn't really think that part through. At all. Actually, I didn't think any part through. I just wanted to see you." I looked down.

"Don't be silly, you can stay here until you sort things out with your mother and figure out what you want to do."

"Are you sure? I mean- I'm sorry. I really did miss you, you know." I said, watching my hands twist nervously. When I looked up, I saw him smiling down at me.

"You've changed since I last saw you. You look different, but I can't put my finger on it."

"I cut my hair again? I got older?"

"That's it, you look older. And maybe a tinsy bit taller, too."

"Well, thank the gods." I said. "You look… pretty much the same. Except wet." And even then, he still managed to look magnificent. I'm sure I was comparable to a drowned cat. I shifted uncomfortably in my muddy boots.

We arrived at the guest rooms. The names had been taken off the doors, but he led me to my old room.

"I take it you brought spare clothes?" He asked me, unlocking the door with one of his keys.

I help up my bag. "Yep."

"Splendid. Well, you go get cleaned up and hop into a dry pair o' clothes. Meet me back in my room when you're done, 'kay?"

* * *

I stepped out of the shower, refreshed and feeling better than ever. After drying and brushing out my hair, I took the change of clothes and put them on. I wore a simple, long sleeved shirt with buttons down the front and a pair of jeans. When I had finished changing, I got in the elevator and went to his room.

I soon arrived in a corridor with a door at the end of it. I walked down it and knocked on the door that seemed to have doubled in size.

"Alice, my dear girl!" The door opened and Willy stood there, shiny clean and wearing a patterned purple and plum coat with a matching hat.

"Hi." I gave an awkward smile in return.

"Do come in." He stepped aside and I walked in, admiring his room once again. It was still awesome.

"God, I can't believe I'm actually here." I mused aloud.

"Neither can I." He poked me. "Yup, you're real."

I walked over to the couch and sat down, my legs a bit sore from all the running I'd done today.

"So, let's talk." I began.

He came and sat down across from me, crossing his legs.

"About what?"

"Everything."

"For example?"

"Why you said you were sorry. Why you wouldn't answer my question… why you never called me back. For example."

"The first question can be answered by the third, which I probably should answer."

"Please do." My phone buzzed in my pocket. I ignored it.

"The factory can be a very dangerous place, Alice, as you above most would know. It was taking it's toll on you. I couldn't have that anymore, so I had to let you go. Simple."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Well, that's a relief."

"Why?"

"Well, you know.."

He blinked.

"I thought that maybe you didn't like me anymore or something. It's silly-"

"Damn straight that's silly! The very thought." A laugh burst out, but then he turned serious again. "I love you no matter what. Capisce?"

I smiled, cheeks warming. "Capisce."

"Anyways, do you remember that photo you showed me of you and your mother?"

I had to think about that for a moment. "Uh… oh! Yes."

"You looked so different compared to how you were at the factory. Not in a good way, no offense intended, of course. Frankly, it shocked me. There you were, pale, tired, weak, gaunt and much thinner than when you arrived. But in the photo, you were happy and healthy and smiling. It troubled me. I wasn't sure what to do, so I asked Charlie-"

"You told Charlie!?"

"Kinda. He guessed, like Hayden."

"…very intuitive, huh?" I mumbled.

"You could say that. Or maybe we're just being really obvious. Anyway, I told him and he suggested that the best thing I could do was to let you go. So I did. You are looking _wonderful_, by the way."

"I was just recovering, so of course I looked all pale and tired and sick." I reasoned.

"My point proven. You were recovering from something that happened at the factory."

"They were completely accidental. Accidents happen, they just happen more with me for some reason. I managed to destroy a whole set of plates and sprained my wrist in one sitting last Christmas, for example. Look, without you, life has been… adequate. Black and white. You can see what's happening, but there aren't any colors to go with it, to make it worth while. But with you, everything's so bright and colorful and beautiful. I'd take any accident thrown my way if it meant that I could just look at you for a bit longer."

"Oh, you." He giggled.

"I want to be with you, Willy. But I don't know what you want."

"You're all I've ever wanted, Alice." My heart gave a lurch.

"Really?" I breathed.

He came over to me and leant down, taking my chin in his hand and giving me a gentle kiss on the lips. His delicious fragrance wafted towards me and I inhaled it like a drug.

"Absolutely." He straightened up again, leaving me flushed and hanging for more.

"But there is still the matter of your m-mother." He paused, smiling apologetically. "I think you ought to call her to let her know where you are and that you're okay."

"Why so responsible?" I smirked, but took out my phone. "But yeah. Speak of the devil, she just texted me a minute ago."

"Ally, I'm sorry about yesterday. Where are you? Give me a call. Mom." I read aloud.

I stared at the screen for a time, thinking about what I should do.

"I don't know what to do." I said, but shrugged. "I'll call her later. I've got no idea what to say to her right now. I don't want to speak to her."

"Understandable. What happened to your cheek?"

"Huh?" I asked, taken aback at the sudden change of subject. "Oh, I bumped into a doorway… with my head. Don't ask how, I don't really know myself." I touched the bruise on the side of my cheek slightly. I was surprised he even noticed it, though. It happened almost a month ago and had almost completely faded away.

"Clumsy." He smiled.

"So… what have you been up to these past few years?" I asked, grabbing his hand and pulling him down so that he was sitting next to me. He put an arm around me and I leaned into his shoulder, angling my head so that I could breath in his scrumptious scent straight from the source. I resisted the urge to giggle like a schoolgirl and do a happy dance. Barely.

"Nothing particularly interesting. Came out with a few new lines of candies, opened only 12 new stores in various countries, invented a new and more efficient taffy pulling machine to supersede the older model, played golf with the president of the unite-"

"Wait, _what_? The president?"

"Yes, the president. He has a great predilection for chocolate. We write to each other occasionally. Other than that, just things. Nothing much that stands out…" He trailed off.

I cringed, thinking about what I'd been doing lately.

"What about you?" He continued.

"Um. I got my driving license. And I bought pack of gum or two at some point… that's about it." I left out the part where I dated fourteen guys and did LSD for the first time last year. I didn't think he needed to know that.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" He beamed, showing no sign on sarcasm. "I remember my first car." He looked into the distance fondly, as if remembering something.

"You had a _car_?" I asked, frowning. I couldn't imagine him driving a car. I guess I'd just assumed he flew around everywhere all the time.

"Oh, yes! It was a BMW."

"Of course."

"I painted it orange. It looked fantastic, if I do say so myself. I've still got it, y'know."

"My car is grey. I got it for $60 off the 89 year old man down the road who can't drive anymore because he's paralyzed from the waist down and half senile. It's old and scratched and dinted, but oh well." I pursed my lips.

"So… how's Charlie and his kindred?" I asked, wanting to change the subject.  
"They're hale and hearty. They're actually travelling Europe for a month, as a birthday present to Mr. Bucket from yours truly."

"Wow." My eyes widened, shocked. "That's very generous… and extravagant." I reached up and placed a kiss on his jaw. "They're very lucky to have you."

"I hope so." He gave me a small peck on the cheek in return. "I want you to do me a favor."

"Hm?"

He dug into his pocket and took out a small circular wallet. He retrieved a wad of notes and handed them to me. The grin dropped off my face and I frowned at him.

"I want you to go out and buy a nice formal outfit to wear tonight to dinner."

"Dinner?"

"Dinner."

"Why dinner?"

"Because we've never had dinner together before."

"Don't you think my, uh, worn plaid shirt and faded jeans are fancy enough?"

"They're a bit _too_ fancy for dinner. You'll have to get something else, I'm afraid." He giggled.

"Well, I have my own money, thank you very much." I smirked, retrieving my own wallet from my pocket and waving it in front of him. "How do you think I got here, anyway?"

He plucked it out of his hands and took out the notes, pocketing them.

"Hey!" I glared.

"I'll give it back after dinner." He grinned.


	55. Chapter 55: Dinner

**Chapter 55**

**Dinner**

**Rated: T**

**Warnings: Fluff, Willy/OC, Language**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: Here's another chapter. Kinda short, but I wanted to split it up because the next chapter will be the M scene and people who don't want to read it can skip it easily. God damnit, I've written the very last two chapters but I just can't get that M scene right. I'll keep trying though and hopefully it'll be up within the next few days to a week or so. Also I've rewritten the first few chapters again. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

We argued, or I did while he just sat there like an ignorant brick wall, and eventually I just left, secretly deciding I'd just buy it with my card and somehow sneak the money back to him later. I bought the first decent dress I saw, which was black and a pair of matching shoes that were on sale. By the time I got back, dusk was upon us.

I slid open the giant metal doors and went inside, swinging my bags as I went. I took the elevator back to Willy's room.

I knocked on the door lightly and waited. When he didn't answer, I poked a head through, hearing the muted noise of the shower. Oh. My eyes widened, realizing that Willy was showering. Naked. Showering and naked. My cheeks warmed, but I went in anyway. I walked up to the bathroom door and knocked lightly.

"I'm back." I called. A few seconds went by and then I heard the water being shut off.

"Ooh, so soon? Hold on, I'll be just a jiffy."

I nodded, and wandered over to the fireplace, flickering lightly in it's heath. I held my hand out, watching the dancing flames illuminate and color my otherwise colorless hand. It was warm. I drifted toward the couch by the huge, wall to ceiling window and sat them down on top of the white material. I sat down next to them and waited.

A few minutes passed, and I felt someone grab my shoulders from behind.

"Boo!"

I jumped, frightened, before noticing Willy in the reflection of the window.

"Ha ha. Funny. Hilarious. Remember last time you did that I said I'll punch you?"

"Sure do. I don't see your fist near my face, though."

"I'm gonna wait it out. Take my time. It could be in an hour, or a day, you won't be able to guess. I'll draw it out, make the suspense last. It'll be torture, knowing that any minute I could inflict severe pain on you and you won't even know it. And the angst, the torment, the agony of that knowledge will make you regret this moment. You will live in fear. You will rue the day you dared to sneak up on me again."

"…you, Miss Hatts, are a terrifying woman." He smiled wide. "So, whad'ya buy?"

"Oh, just a dress and some shoes. I didn't think my sneakers would match."

"Lemme see."

I pulled it out of the bag and held it up. He tilted his head.

"That dress was on sale for half price at the local clothing store down the road."

"…yeah?"

"I gave you £867 and you buy a £10 dress."

"…plus 5 for the shoes."

He stared at me.

"How do you know that, anyway? I don't really see you wandering around in the woman's isle in a local clothing store."

"Because I'm omnipotent and I know everything."

I raised an eyebrow, but handed him back the wad of cash. "Here's your change."

He glanced at it. "There's £867 left. You spent your own money, didn't you?"

"Well, I've already bought it doesn't matter."

His pursed lips melted into another dazzling, albeit confused, smile. "Only in Wonderland. Feel free to get changed into your £10 dress now," He leant in. "Although I'm certain you'll make it look a million."

I blinked, blushing slightly, but gave a smile. "Nope, not me. But thanks. Those doors there, right?"

"Right."

* * *

When I finished changing, I stepped back into the room, pulling the dress down at the back. It wasn't really short, but I hadn't worn a dress in years and I wasn't used to it. Besides my prom and graduation, the last time was New Year's Eve with Willy.

The dress itself was, and there's only one way to say it, plain. But I liked that about it.

Willy led me through one of the doors I hadn't been through before and through another larger living room. It was modern and spacious and had a large television on the wall. There were three more doors in this room, and we went through the one on the opposite room.

We came to the dining room, so it seemed. The walls were striped, white and mauve. A modern white table sat in the middle of the room, just big enough for two, directly under an elaborate lampshade that cast pretty patterns over the walls.

"Romantic." I commented, looking at the candles on the table, next to the vase of roses.

The entire wall to my left was made out of glass, stretching from the floor to the ceiling and overlooking… a beach?

"Uh- thanks. Admittedly, I haven't done this before so I had to refer to a few popular movies to find out how to set a dinner table for two. Given the my lack of time, I couldn't do much… We've never had dinner together before, so I think today is a good cause for celebration, is it not?"

"You try so hard just to impress me. I mean… dinner? With real life candles? I'd be ecstatic even if we just ordered Chinese and sat together on a couch. But I love it. Thank you." I grinned.

"Oh. You want Chinese?"

"No. I hate Chinese food." I said. He pulled out a seat and gestured for me to sit down, ever the gentleman. He sat down across from me.

"You're amusing." He said.

"I try."

"Care for some wine?" He popped the cork.

"Thanks."

He poured some into my wineglass, and then into his. It was red. I watched the bubbles fizz and rise to the top and then took a sip.

"Why is there a beach out the window?" I asked.

"Oh! I got the idea of a movie-"

"You watch a lot of movies. The Hunger Games, I'm guessing?"

"Nowadays, yes. Charlie loves movies, he always makes me watch them with him. And that is correct. Watch this." He grinned, taking a remote out of his pocket. I wondered how many remotes he had in there.

He pressed a button and a new scene appeared behind the window. A beautiful snow covered landscape with mountains materialized.

"Wow." I breathed. He changed the scene again. Clouds, as far as the eye could see under a star-studded night sky. Just like New Year's Eve.

"I like that one." I said.

"Of course you would. This one's real." He smiled and put the remove back in his pocket. "What will thou be dining on this evening, milady?"

"Surprise me."

"Alrighty then." He did that weird noise thing and an Oompa Loompa came through the doors. He wore a suit, like a waiter.

"Ready to order, sir?" He asked, coming to stand next to the table.

"Surprise us." Willy said with a smile.

The Oompa Loompa nodded curtly and hurried off. Me and Willy chatted for a bit while we waited.

"So, what are your plans?" He asked me.

"My plans?"

"Y'know, your plans with London and such."

"Oh. Well, to be honest, I have no idea. I didn't think about what would happen after, or even about what I was going to do when I came here. But… I dunno. I'd probably have to go back sooner or later."

"Oh." His smile flickered.

"Oh?"

He giggled. "I'm sorry, it's been so nice having you back. I'd forgotten how wonderful your company is. I-I guess I just…" He stuttered, smile fading again. _He actually stuttered_.

"But…"

"But?" He asked eagerly.

"I don't really want to go."

"I don't want you to go either." He admitted. "Then you should stay."

"Psh. I'm too annoying." I said jokingly, although I meant it. The insecurity was back and I shifted in my seat. He had this effect on me.

"I like your annoyingness. You'd be no fun without it." He leant forward in his seat, his eyes flashing, clasping his hands. "But… would you really consider it? Staying?"

"Yes, I would." I answered, hardly daring to believe it. I remembered how often I'd imagined, or rather daydreamed about what life would have been like if I'd stayed here in the factory with him, but the pain that accompanied it would force me to stop thinking about it.

He grinned. "Then come live with me at the factory."

I looked at him, saw how happy he looked. Because of me. He was happy because of me. I waited for that voice in my head to remind me how overall average I was, how I didn't deserve him, but it didn't come. If I could make him happy, then I guess I did deserve him. I smiled back, and the childish insecurities melted away.

"I'd love that." I said quietly.

"Me too." He said in an equally as quiet voice.

An Oompa Loompa appeared beside the table, breaking the spell, and set down two plates.

"Dinner is served. Bon appétit."

"Merci." Willy replied.

The Oompa Loompa bowed and walked solemnly out of the room.

"Smells delicious." I said.

"Oui."

"You know French?"

"Yes. And Latin, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Goidelic, Brythonic, Gothick and various others including Loompaish."

"Gothick? What is that even? "

"The extinct East Germanic language of the Goths, which provides the earliest manuscript evidence of any Germanic language."

"Even though I'm completely lost and have no idea what you're on about, I'm going to nod along and pretend like I do. And psh, you have nothing on me. I happen to be fluent in English, sarcasm and gibberish and speak very broken Japanese."  
"Then, Itadakimasu!" He said with a perfect accent. For the first time, I noticed the dish. It was some sort of roast with a salad. It looked nice.

He got a small piece of tomato on his fork and raised it up to his lips. His mouth parted and he popped it in, eyes closing, savoring the taste just like they do on those breakfast cereal commercials. For some reason, this made me flush slightly. His eyes opened again and I realized I was staring.

"Not hungry?" He asked, amused.

_Not for food_, I thought, but ate a bit anyway. I took a sip of the wine. "You distracted me."

He smirked, popping another small piece into his mouth, gliding his tongue over his bottom lip. Tantalizingly, temptingly.

I gulped, staring at his lips and thinking about how much I'd like to do that. _Oh lordy_.

Blinking, I looked back down at my food and ate a bit of the lettuce.

"Why, I do believe you look a bit flushed, Alice." He commented with a impish grin.

"I can't imagine why. It can't possibly have anything to do with the absurdly attractive gentleman sitting opposite me that somehow looks more appetizing than the dish itself."

He giggled. "Oh stop it you, you're making me blush."

I cut a piece of roast potato in half and picked it up with my fork, covering it in gravy. As I went to put it in my mouth, it dripped down the front of my top. I scooped it back up with my finger and licked it off, watching him the whole time.

"Am I?"

He blushed.

"You know what, I'm not that hungry." He said hastily.

"Neither am I." I agreed enthusiastically and suddenly we were kissing.

* * *

**Well. That escalated quickly. **


	56. Chapter 56: Perfect

**Chapter 56**

**Perfect**

**Rated: T**

**Warnings: Extreme fluff (Caution: suffocation risk), Willy/OC, language, sexual suggestions**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Song for chapter: "Beautiful" by Late Night Alumni**

**A/N: Second last chapter, gaiiiz! And yes, that is a T and not an M. I'm sorry, I couldn't do it. I've sat in front of the screen for hours and hours and I still can't write the damn sex scene. I don't know what it is, I just can't. Every time I even get near the actual intercourse it just becomes iiuwhruefin and grrr. It all feels to explicit and pornographic and even though I practically devour every M rated story on here, I just can't get the words out right and it just ends up in a big, awkward, badly written mess. I've written everything else, and it's this scene that's making me so late so I've just decided to post it without so I can continue. Hopefully I haven't disappointed too many of you, but I feel it's the best option right now. I'm planning on writing it later when I'm not almost so late and posting it, if it's not completely crap. Anyways, here you go! I can guarantee the next chapter will be up in the next few days because I've already written it. I just need to edit it and then it's good to go. **

**Wanderlust77: Thank you for the awesome review! :D**

**OffMyRocket: Yay, glad you're back. Thanks! **

**Kwisy: Eh, kind of. (sorry) **

**xLunarAngelWarriorx: Updated! :)**

**Arcane Wonders: You should see a doctor about that. Haha, thank you! :D And don't worry, I'm still picturing it too. **

**RedEyedOrios123: Thanks!**

**ShiningTower: "Thank you." Alice said with a smile. **

**ShowerCurtainsTurnMeOn: Thank you!**

**AutumnEmberlynne: Glad you're loving it so far. Thanks for the review :)**

* * *

Suddenly, we were kissing, leaning over our plates to reach each other. I decided that there was too much of a barrier between us and stood up without breaking the kiss, moving around to sit on his knee. I put my arms around him, one around his shoulder and one around his waist, feeling his body against mine. I bit his bottom lip lightly and he moaned, making my heart hammer even faster. He tasted so sweet. I put my hands on his shoulders, pulling away from a second.

"I love you, Willy." I told him, my breathing uneven. "So… I think…"

He just smiled, in a confused sort of way, waiting for me to get to the point.

"Make love to me." I breathed. His eyebrows shot up. He blinked a few times and then giggled nervously.

"W-What?"

"I want you to make love to me." I said. "I want you and I know you want me." I could feel the proof pressing against me.

"It'd be pointless to deny that at this point, but are you sure? I don't think you've though this thr-"

I leant in. "There are about four layers of clothing separating us from ecstasy. Of course I'm sure." I whispered mockingly seductive voice in his ear, trying not to laugh.

"Smooth, Alice." He chuckled. "But I suppose we'll have to fix that, won't we?"

Willy grinned and we were kissing again. I felt his arms around me and suddenly I was being lifted up. He carried me like a bride back into his room and set me down on the bed. He lips brushed against mine gently, softly as his gloved hands entwined with mine. I parted my legs and wrapped one around his own leg, pulling him closer. His lips felt so good. I slid my tongue over his upper lip and his mouth parted. I felt his tongue twirl around the tip of mine and shivered. We continued kissing for a while, before he pulled away suddenly.

"You're absolutely sure? I won't make you do anything you don't' want to."

I nodded. "I'm sure." Staring into his eyes, I slipped the strap of my dress down over my shoulder and then moved onto the next one, cheeks flushing red. The seconds seemed to tick by more slowly then usual. Taking in a shaky breath, I let the dress drop to my waist as I was sitting down. He blinked and his eyes moved down to my bra. "I want you, right now."

"Oh." He said, voice suddenly breathless once again. "You're so beautiful."

I grinned and kissed him again deeply, running my fingers through his hair.

"Touch me." I whispered, pulling away briefly enough to get the words out before mashing my face against his once again. I felt his hand along the curve of my breast, touching me gently but teasingly. His latex glove moved down and grabbed me tightly around the waist, pulling me firmly against him before travelling one and up to my chest again. I moaned against his lips.

I gripped his coat and pulled him onto the bed, so that we were lying down. He giggled in delight. He began to kiss and lick his way down my neck and shoulder, along my collarbone and down in between my breasts as if I were some sort of new candy he'd never tasted before. The feeling of his tongue over my skin made me shiver in ecstasy. He placed tender kisses down my navel, along the bottom of my stomach where a faint scar remained, and over both my hipbones before moving back up again. I was squirming at this point.

"You're so sweet." He murmured in that voice of his once he'd reached my mouth again, causing me to blush even more deeply.

"You- I should probably warn you, I haven't done this before." I managed to get out, struggling to concentrate with him nibbling on my ear.

"I figured as much. We'll take it slow, 'kay? My experience in this field, or lack thereof, is quite pitiful for a man of my age, but I've been around long enough to know the basics." He said, right in my ear. I bit my lip, suppressing a moan. Oh god, his voice. "You trust me, right?"

"I trust you more than anything. Do you trust me?" I asked, breathing still uneven.

"'Course I do." He smiled.

"Good." I smiled back. "Then, show me the ropes. I've only gotten this far because of the MA rated movies with those half sex-scenes where the actors undress before it fades to black. So far, so good, right? Although, you're clothes are still on. We should do something about that."

He grinned and shrugged off his coat, before folding it neatly and placing it on the end of the bed. I rolled my eyes and sat up, before reaching over to unbutton his vest. I threw it on the floor carelessly. He looked at it.

"You can wash and iron and fold all you want in the morning. But tonight we're going to have to get a little messy."

He blushed again. I'd never seen him blush so much before today.

I undid the clasp around the collar of his shirt and tossed it away, before moving onto the buttons. Each button was like a new milestone for me. The only part of him I ever saw was his face and the rare, tantalizing sliver of his neck. I remember once he was reaching for something and his coat slid up a little, revealing the tiniest bit of pale skin above his glove. And now, I was removing his top. I was about to see all of him, not just a teensy bit of his wrist that had my mind reeling for days. I threw the shirt away and stared at him greedily as if I'd just unwrapped the biggest Christmas present of my life. Achievement unlocked: Willy Wonka the Chocolatier! Jesus, he was beautiful. He wasn't muscly or tanned like those guys you see on the movies with their windswept hair and oiled up six-packs, and yet he was easily the most beautiful person I'd even seen. He was shaped so nicely- slimmer than I'd originally thought, probably due to the many layers of clothing that he wore. His skin was so soft and smooth and somehow even paler than his face. Pure white, as if made from the most wonderful kind of porcelain.

"You're beautiful, Willy." I said.

"I am?" He asked uncertainly. His slender arms crossed over his chest. "You're like an angel-unicorn-god." I said, unable to keep myself from staring at him.

"Is… that a good thing?"

"That's the best thing."

"Really?"

"Really. I want to kiss every inch of you."

He giggled. "No complaints here."

* * *

The harsh illumination of the morning sun gradually flooded into the room, rousing me from my light slumber. I rolled over, pulling the blankets more tightly around me. They felt weird- unfamiliar. I was a bit cold, too, for some reason. My eyes flashed open when I realized I was naked. Holy shit. My eyes darted around the room, wondering where I was for a moment before the memory of last night came back to me like a slap in the face, leaving my cheeks red. I sat up slowly, dazed and disorientated, holding the blanket tightly around me, wondering where my clothes were and how on earth I was going to get to them.

_I had sex with Willy Wonka_, I thought repeatedly as if saying it enough times would make it more real. My stomach fluttered as I went over the memories. Holy shit. _Holy shit_. After all these years, I finally did it. I blinked, shaking my head in disbelief, clearing it. I needed to find my clothes, dwelling could wait. God forbid someone walked in on me draped in nothing but a sheet. I mean, we had the place to ourselves, but still.

I looked around the bright room that smelt of candy, and behind me. The bed was empty, his side already perfectly made.

The clothes I'd worn last night sat folded in a neat pile at the edge of the bed, including my bra and my panties. My blush deepened. I reached over with one hand, still holding the sheet up to me with the other despite being completely alone, and pulled the pile towards me. They had been washed. I slipped on my undergarments, still beneath the shelter of the sheet and when I was satisfied that all the vital parts were covered, I left the safety of cover and slipped the dress over my head.

I heard a chuckle behind and jumped, turning around.

"Good morning, starshine." Came a voice. "That was certainly entertaining to watch." Willy stood in one of the doorways, holding two teacups. He was humming something. It sounded vaguely familiar. I blushed deeply.

"Hi." I said breathlessly.

"Hello."

"You didn't see anything, did you?" I asked.

"Nope." He said. "I'd cross my heart, if I had a hand to do it with. Not that you cared so much about nudity last night." He strode toward me and handed me a cup. So I wasn't just imaging it, then. It was real. "You like tea, don't you?"

"Thanks." I smiled, taking it. I took a long sip from it, ignoring the burn, not sure what else to say. I was happy. Euphoric. Contented, blissful, ecstatic, even. But even after all that, I managed to feel awkward. I'm pretty sure I had mascara and eyeliner all over my face, and I didn't even want to think about what my hair looked like right now.

A long moment of that awkward silence passed, the only sound being that of the sips we took.

"Last night was amazing." I said quietly at last, unable to keep the grin off anymore.

"Oh, it was just wonderful." He agreed, grinning back.

"I see what all the fuss is about."

He giggled and another few moments of silence went by.

"So, uh, what now?"

"That, my dear, is a good question. And yet I seem to have no answer for it. How odd." He said.

I chuckled. "Well, I'm just going to say that last night was the best night of my life. So thank you." I leant over and kissed him on the cheek.

"My pleasure."

I laughed.

"I did okay?" I asked.

"You did exceptionally. Top of the class."

"Thank god." I took another long sip. "What's the time?"

"1pm."

"You should have woken me earlier."

"Trust me, you needed the sleep. I imagine late night exercises are very exhausting."

I laughed, taking another sip before the shrill sound of my ringtone filled the quiet room.

I got up quickly and walked over to the couch, where my bag was and answered my phone with a sigh, being careful not to spill the beverage.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Alice!" It was my mom.

"Oh god." I whispered, my voice embarrassingly high.

"Who is it?" Willy mouthed from across the room.

"My mom." I mouthed back. He grimaced.

"I called you thirteen times, Alice!"

"I know."

"God, I'm just so worried about you. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things, and I never wanted you to leave. I wasn't in my right mind, okay? I was stupid to overreact about something that was obviously in the past. So, I'm sorry. Now where the hell are you?"

"Shit." I cursed. "Mom, I'd like to say that I'm at Annie's house, but that would be a lie. I'm gonna be completely honest here and just admit that I'm in London."

"London? England?" Her voice was rising.

"I'm with Willy."

There was a long silence on the other end. "Why would you go to London? Are you crazy? I can't believe it! After all we've talked-" She cut off and took a deep breath. "God, okay. Okay. You're with him. When are you coming home?"

"I'm not sure, mom. I'm kinda moving in with him." I blurted out, since I was on an honest role today.

"Huh?" Her voice shot up. "You're _moving in with him_? In London? Are you _trying_ to go against every single thing I've said?" I heard her mutter a curse under her breath.  
"Yes. I mean, I'll have to come back to get my stuff and everything, but I'm moving here. I love him, mom. I've never loved anyone else and you know that. If you don't understand that, then that's your problem. He's not joining your life, we're giving you a chance to join ours."

She paused for a long while, considering that. "It's just… he's so much older than you."

"Doesn't matter."

She took another deep breath. "He makes you happy."

"Yes."

"And you love him."

"Yup." I said in a clipped tone, bracing myself for another lecture on why I shouldn't.

"Then I can't really do anything about it, can I?"

"You mean you're… allowing this?"

"I can't stop you. You're 19, almost 20, you can legally do whatever you want no matter how much I don't like it. But actually, my own mother gave me a similar talk. I was 15, not too much younger than when you met him, and your father was 24. I know, right? Pretty bad. She told me he was too old for me and that he would hurt me. She told me it was just a phase and he'd dump me before the week was out. She told me he was a pervert and that I was forbidden to see him, so_ I_ told _her_ I didn't give a shit and married him a few years later. Contrary to my mother's belief, we never stopped loving each other and he never hurt me. We had a beautiful baby girl and he died before we could grow old together. But I still have you and I want you to be as happy as you can. I… I never wanted you to follow in my footsteps, which was why I was so hard on you. Maybe it was denial, I don't know. A mother's perspective on the whole situation is so much more different than you can ever imagine, but I can recognize where you're coming from, too. You have to understand, you were 16 at the time and 49 is much different than 24. But I don't want our relationship to be like mine and my mother's over something so trivial. It was a mess and it's certainly not worth it. I will admit I'm not entirely happy about this whole thing, but I want the best for you. Go and be happy, Allie, because you deserve it."

"Do you really mean that?" I asked quietly, wondering if I'd heard correctly.

"Yes."

"Thanks, mom." A small smiled appeared. "That means a lot to me."

"I'm giving him one chance and one chance only. If he screws this up _whatsoever_," She paused for a dramatic effect "I will eviscerate him. I will _destroy his soul_. Tell him that for me dear, won't you?"

"And people wonder where I get my threats from. Will do."

"All right then. Well, I'm expecting a guest shortly so I'll have to go. Call me soon, okay?"

"Yup. Bye, mom." I paused. "And, sorry."

"For what?"

"I don't know. Everything that's happened over the years, I guess. Pushing you away after Beth, breaking your vase, etc."

"Don't be." I heard a smile in her voice. "See you."

She hung up, and went back over to where Willy sat in the edge of the bed, smiling expectantly. I grabbed his hands, standing in front of him.

"What'd she say?" He asked.

"She said she's going to eviscerate you and destroy your soul."

His smile dropped. "From your part of the conversation, I was expecting something slightly different."

"-_If_ you mess this chance up. She's allowing it. She said she wants me to be happy, and if you're what it takes, then she's okay with it." I grinned.

"For real?"  
"Yup."

"Well, ain't that a relief! I take it she still doesn't really like me though, yes?"

"Yeah, kinda." I admitted. "Doesn't matter though. She one of those people who holds their few friends close and absolutely hates everyone else."

"It seems we have something in common."

"Surprising." I said. "I have a question."

"Do tell."

"It's kinda random, but I just remembered it then. Remember when I first came to the factory, you kept getting my name wrong? Why? You remembered it all those years and that's why you chose my application."

"I liked messing with you. It was fun." He giggled.

"Gee thanks." I sat on his knee, putting my arms around him and resting my head on his shoulder.

"I can't believe I get to be with you." I sighed happily.

"Oh, me too, believe me. I can't believe I get a second chance at being with someone as wonderful and sweet as you. You know, I've always been a perfectionist. Everything had to be perfect, ever since I could remember. My school work, my bed, my recipes, my factory, _everything_. I wouldn't stop until every one of those things were perfect, which was a reason why I was so successful as a chocolatier. For a long time I thought I'd perfected the greatest thing of all- my life. I mean, why shouldn't I think that? I'd made billions out of nothing. I owned the single largest factory in the whole world. I had complete control over my life, when before I had absolutely none. But, being ever the perfectionist, there was that niggling suspicion something was a bit off. And now that you're here by my side, everything is finally as it should be- perfect, because that is what you are to me."

* * *

_4 years later._

_I looked down at the hands twisting around each other nervously in my lap. I inhaled deeply and breathed it out again, closing my eyes as we went over another speed bump, the car jolting once again. I felt my mother's hand settle on mine and looked over to see her smiling reassuringly. I smiled back before turning my head to look out the tinted window. I could see the sun lowering in the distant horizon, as dusk drew closer. _

_My thoughts drifted as I gazed out of the window, and when the car came to a sudden halt, I was startled back into reality. _

_My mother's hand squeezed mine._

"_Ready?" She asked_

_I nodded. "Yes."_

_I stepped out, holding up the layers upon layers of lace and silk arranged into an exquisitely elaborate yet elegant gown as I stepped out of the car. _

_My eyes roamed over the scene before me. There was a thick layer of snow under the white carpet than ran down in between the rows of seats. Everything was bathed in a cool shade of pink. _

_Everyone was standing up. Among the crowd, I saw Kim, grinning at me. Candice and Tim, who looked at each other and then back at me, clutching hands tightly. Hayden, giving me the thumbs up and half obscured by some ladies large hat. Darcy, giving me a small smirk of approval. Russell, my mother's new partner. Wilbur, Willy's father, giving me a reserved but kind smile. Charlie Bucket and his parents. John, a few close friends. Barry, Willy's red-haired cousin that I remembered from the Abyss, all grown-up, looking at me with a polite smile. I saw the president, hands folded behind his back. Slugworth, looking as sallow and gaunt as usual. _

_Everyone I knew was there. Well, almost. _

_In my mind, I could hear Beth screaming with joy. My father, kind eyes shining as his little girl grew up. Little Emily, clutching her bear tightly. _

_Behind the crowd, the sun was setting. It glowed a deep red-orange color and eventually faded down into a muted purple, gently illuminating the leaves of the two maple trees situated on either side of the two people standing at the very end. Everything was adorned with small flowers and other decorations that all worked together to create a scene that would take my breath away as I stepped out. _

_Willy Wonka stood at the very end, looking as beautiful as ever wearing a muted purple suit that matched the sky and whose skin matched the snow. Violins gently played as I began the slow walk down the aisle with my mother, watching his beautiful smile the entire time. Everything else became a blur but him. My heart was beating like the wings of a butterfly as I neared him. Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, I did reach the man I loved and my mother put my hand on his. I didn't miss the discreet glare she shot his way before she took her seat once again. The violins quietened until there was only a soft, beautiful tune playing in the background. I looked up from his smile to his eyes, which sparkled in the most wonderful kind of way. He squeezed my hand. _

"_Why, I do believe you're blushing, Miss Hatts." He said, voice smooth as the velvet he wore. "You look absolutely beautiful."_

_I smiled wider. "It's be Mrs. Wonka soon."_

_The priest began to speak, but I didn't hear I word he said, too lost in his gaze to concentrate until I saw his lips moving. _

_"I do." He gave me a smile that made me feel as if my heart were melting._

_The priest nodded._

_"Do you, Alice Hatts, take Willy Wonka to be your lawfully wedded husband, promising to love and cherish, through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, for as long as you both shall live?"_

_This was it. Two little words._

_"I do." I said, voice breathless. Willy's smile grew even wider._

_"You may now kiss the bride."_

_And he did._


	57. Chapter 57: Epilogue

**Chapter 57**

**Epilogue**

**Rated: T**

**Warnings: Willy/OC, language, death**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own mad creations.**

**Theme Song For Chapter: "Alice" By The Cocteau Twins**

**A/N: Wow. I'm actually done. I don't know whether to be happy because I don't have to write any more of this story, or sad because I don't get to. It's been a good journey, I've learnt a lot and I'd like to think that my writing has improved over the course of this story. I enjoyed creating the characters, the backstories, plots, everything and have even grown quite fond of the characters. I'll miss writing Alice. I guess she'll always stick with me in a way, because she was the first 'real' character I'd created. I'll miss Kim, too. She was fun to write. When I first began writing this, I had no plan or structure to it other than Willy and Alice will end up together somehow. So I was basically just making shit up as I went along. Or to put it more delicately, 'the plot formed itself'. I had no idea it would turn into this big, fluffy, angsty mess. Jeez, what am I going to do with my time now? I guess another story is called for. Anyways, I owe a big huge thank you to everyone who read my story and, of course, to my dear reviewers. You guys are my inspiration and I probably wouldn't have even bothered to finish this if it weren't for your support, feedback and criticism. So thanks. I'd love to know your thoughts on the story as a whole, any suggestions, your favorite and least favorite parts, any plot holes, unanswered questions etc just in case I missed any and I'll update if needed. Well, this is it. I hope you enjoyed my story! **

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* * *

So with the big, illusive obstacle that was my mother out of the way, I moved in with Willy and began a new career as the head of the packaging art department. That department never actually existed before and there were only two people in it including me, but even so Willy still insisted that I was the head of it. I didn't argue too much.

We married four years later after I moved in with him, when I was twenty three. When the group first found out about our relationship, they were shocked to say the least, but accepted us happily.

The media, however, was a different story. Many questions were raised on what happened when I was at the factory, when I was 16. My role in the articles ranged from everything from the teenage slut who seduced Willy for his fortune and fame right down to the innocent little victim who doesn't have proper judgment and was brainwashed into being with him. Willy's part remained the same every time, the 'dirty old man', the 'bad guy'. Needless to say, this enraged me to no end, while Willy still insisted that he didn't care. Occasionally there were one or two articles defending us, but it didn't happen often. The media hit Willy's business hard and sales dropped to an all time low, right up until people realized how crap everyone else's candy was. Slowly, the business got back up on it's feet but his reputation had been somewhat damaged. I wrote a rather wordy letter to the local newspaper company and before I knew it, it was popping up in every newspaper across England and even overseas. I had to lie a bit, saying that we didn't have any romantic attraction during the Study Program and that I came back to London a few years later, caught up with him, and that was that. There were still a few skeptics, but we were more generally accepted than before. It all blew over and within a few years and it was like none of it had ever happened.

Life with him was like a roller coaster. A never-ending, exhilarating, fun adventure, filled with sweet, crazy conversations full of half-sentences, daydreams and misunderstandings more thrilling than understanding could ever be. Sometimes we argued when the stress was too much but despite that, we never stopped loving each other in all the years we were together. We travelled a lot, too. Before my 29th birthday, I'd been to every single country on the map, and even the ones that weren't, including Loompa Land.

And, as any human being would do, I got older. I found my first grey hair when I was 35. My skin creased with age and I wasn't as lively as I used to be. Even though Willy's hair gradually faded from brown to silver, I barely saw a wrinkle on that perfect skin of his even towards the end when his sentences became more nonsensical and irrational and he could no longer recall what year it was.

In regards to the group, Candice ended up marrying Tim in the Summer of '25 and they moved to California together and took over Tim's family business. Together, they had two little girls. Kim dated a lot of guys over the years, until one day, without warning, she fell in love with a nice young lad named Christopher. He was extremely shy, nervous, fidgety, was a genius with computers and had a vocabulary bigger than Willy's ego. Sometimes, polar opposites do attract and when they do, it's wonderful. They married a year after they met and have been in love ever since. Hayden became a famous DJ in New York, working at the very best clubs in New York and had no shortage of admirers. Willy gave Darcy a job as manager in one of his stores and some money to get her back on her feet. She was quite successful and bought a nice apartment a few years later, but overdosed at the age of 34 for unknown reasons. Seven people attended her funeral.

As for Willy and I, we never had kids. I was stabbed in my lower abdomen, where all the baby-making is done, thus rendering me infertile. I didn't mind too much because there might have been complications between the child and Charlie as to who was the 'rightful heir'. But when it came down to it, we couldn't really see ourselves raising children even if we could.

Charlie started dating Violet Beauregard, much to everyone's surprise. The years had mellowed her harsh personality, and while she still had that fire in her that made up her character, she was much more likeable. And still blue.

When Charlie took over the factory in Willy's place as he grew older, he did amazingly. Charlie's imagination combined with Violet's determination and competitiveness made the business positively flourish.

Even though we weren't parents, we did become grandparents in some respects when the two had children. They had twins; a boy and a girl named Wilbur and Amelia. Which was, as Willy pointed out, kind of weird considering the two were married, but Charlie dismissed that fact. He was a good kid.

But, for the good to survive, it must be equal with the bad. As the years went by, the people and loved died, one by one. My mother died at the age of 74 from a heart attack. Charlie's grandparents and parents from old age. Darcy. Candice. Tim. Hayden. Kim. Almost everyone I know now is dead.

Willy passed away in his sleep at the very old age of 114. It's been a decade since this happened, and yet I still feel as though he were with me as I speak, silent and waiting, ever patient, just how he was when he was alive. When I lost him, a part was taken away from me and I haven't felt complete since.

Willy's last words to me were ones I'd heard before in a distant memory. We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams. I've never understood them until now. To me, it means that we make our lives what we want them to be. We make the music, and we dream the dreams. We have the ultimate power over our lives, and only us. Willy understood this better than most. He took power of his life and made it his own, made it bloom and flourish like a blossom on a tree. Take control, because you and you alone have the key to your happiness. We only avoid taking risks in life to arrive safely to death.

I took a risk that night I flew to London. By a happy piece of luck, I lived a long and happy life with the man I loved. Even if it didn't turn out that way, there would always have been the satisfaction in knowing I'd tried.

These days, my hands are old and withered, 91 years old. The mirror reflects someone unfamiliar. I don't have long for this world and I accept that without fear. I'm withered and faded, and yet I have lived a full life and regret nothing.

My memory isn't what it once was, but his purple eyes and Cheshire smile are as clear as day. I'll always see the way we were, the way he held me like he might have been afraid to let me go, on those cold December mornings that still somehow feel like yesterday. In my dreams, I walk in a hall of mirrors, dark pools reflecting nothing back to me. He is at the end of my hallway, forever in my line of vision, forever beyond my reach.

My hearing has deteriorated over time as well, and I often have to tell people to speak up and repeat what they said. And yet, how strange it is that I sometimes hear whispers so faint and indistinct that I wondered if I'd even heard them at all, whispers belonging to an impossibly smooth, sweet voice that twists like a knife in my gut.

My hands shake just like my grandmother's did, but sometimes I feel a cold sensation brush against my hand, my cheek, fleeting and ephemeral as a ghost. Sometimes, without warning, it plunges into me, like an icicle, reaching down into my very being. My ring clinks unsteadily against the porcelain teacup as I set it down on the small table next to me.

I am 91 and as such, my eyes do not see as well as they used to. Things become blurry. And yet, sometimes I see things out of the corner of my eye, things that aren't there. Things that shouldn't be there.

But, I am old, and I understand that my mind will play tricks.

One thing I am certain is real, however, is the door on the wall across from me. It is stark white and has a golden plaque with the number 16 on it. It wasn't there when I first entered the room and I shouldn't be there now, but it is.

My time is running out. I do not have long for this world. The last few grains of sand are slipping through the hourglass. The door swings open and I can see a familiar silhouette against the harsh, blinding light. My time has run out. How curious it is that I do not wish for more. I walk on steady legs toward the light and a gloved hand reaches out to take my own smooth, unlined one. I momentarily glance over my shoulder at the old lady, peacefully asleep in her wheelchair, small and fragile as the china teacup beside her. I feel the hourglass run out, and walk into the glaring white light without a care in the world.

"_But, when the Rabbit actually took a watch out of its waistcoat pocket, and looked at it, and the hurried on, Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it, and was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge._

_In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again-"_

-but not quite minding either, for she had finally found her Wonderland.


End file.
